With Wings Once Lost
by pandorad24
Summary: The Flock says that their wings complicate their lives, but no one could have predicted how complicated life would be if one of them lost theirs. Rated T for violence, self-harm, and non-graphic rape. If you are easily triggered, do not read. Iggy fic.
1. Longest Night

**IMPORTANT: On account of this thing being so embarrassing and downright cringe-worthy to me now (a year and a half later), I'm taking the liberty of rewriting it, under the name "On New Wings". There will be NO OC's, no self-harm, more realistic plot and characterization, and will be much shorter - probably about 10-20 chapters. The first chapter has been posted (as of September 15, 2012), so if you're interested, feel free to check it out.**

* * *

**Yo, pandorad24 here! Yeah, so, if you like sad/torture stories and just LOVE Iggy like I do, then this little fic is dedicated to you. And, if not, then you can take yourself and all your flames along with you. I appreciate flames as much as any other review, as long as it's about my writing skill and not drabbles on how much you hate me. Just sayin'. Oh, and if you see any similarities to "Take Away What You Love", by HideTheDecay, then please know that I'm not trying to steal anyone's idea. I just looked back after reading "Take Away What You Love", and realized that our torture scenes are scarily similar. Sorry about that, really, but the rest of the story line is completely different. So please don't sue. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: is it, like, a law to put these things up? 'Cause they're totally pointless. I obviously don't own Maximum Ride.**

_~ Chapter One - Longest Night ~_

"Iggy, hurry up with that firewood!" I heard Max yell through the trees, and I grumbled a sarcastic retort under my breath. I wasn't gonna say it for her to hear, 'cause I was trying to be extra nice today, and see if anybody noticed. And what did I get? I got sent out of the little clearing we found in the middle of a forest in Illinois, alone, to go get firewood. And, guess who would be obligated to make the fire? And cook dinner over it?

That's right. Me.

It's not like I didn't like to light fires, or cook. I positively _loved _fire, and cooking was one of my few skills.

But, looking for a couple of sticks in the middle of a forest, however, I was finding extremely difficult. Why had Max given _me_, of all people, the job of getting firewood? Anyone, even Total, our wisecracking dog, would have been a better choice. I mean, how was the _blind_ kid supposed to find anything in this place!

The frustrating thing was, I was completely positive there were sticks _everywhere_, all around me, and I couldn't even locate _one_.

Why couldn't she have sent someone to help me? Sure, I could've called for help myself, but my pride was too big for that.

So, here I was, stumbling over roots and random, leafy things, and bending over feeling around for sticks on the ground, looking like a complete idiot. I did a full three-sixty, running my fingers over the damp earth around me, finding nothing. "Crap," I cursed under my breath. This was getting me nowhere.

I stood up strait, finally deciding to swallow my stupid pride and ask for help, and walked right into a tree. "Dang it!" I yelled frustratedly, stretching my arms out in front of me and trying to navigate the forest crowded with trees.

"Iggy?" Max called, from a completely different direction than where I thought the clearing was. "Iggy, did you get the firewood yet?"

I wanted to yell something angrily back at her, but I kept my mouth shut, remembering my goal for the day. "No, Max," I sighed deffeatedly. "I think you need to get someone else to do it."

Angel appeared through the trees, I could tell it was her from her light, bouncing steps. "Hey Igs, want some help?" she asked sweetly, taking my hand and leading me through the forest. We came to a stop, and she guided my hand down, and my fingers found what they had been looking for, finally.

But, not without someone's help. I always had help. With everything.

We gathered up a few more nice, large, dry sticks, and Angel led me back to the clearing. "Finally," Gazzy moaned, taking the wood from my arms and dumping it in the little pit Fang had set up for me. "I'm _starving_."

_Yeah, you're welcome for going to get the fuel for your fire tonight, you know, so I can make your dinner for you, _I wanted to say, but again, I bit back my sarcasm. "Sorry," I mumbled, crossing over to the fire pit and crouching beside it. Bringing out my matches, I struck one and stuck it in the kindling in the middle of the larger sticks. I smelled the smoke as the leaves and grass caught fire, and blew gently until the flames were licking at the wood around it.

Soon, I had a nice little fire going, enough to cook our food. Max handed me a package of hotdogs she had picked up on the way here, and Nudge gave me a palmetto branch she had broken off and sharpened for me. I roasted the hotdogs by smell, having enough experience with the meal to know exactly when they were done. When I finally handed everybody a paper plate with three hotdogs each, they mumbled a quick "thank you," and fell on the food like starving hyenas. Trust me, starving bird kids are worse.

I moved to settle down a little ways away from camp to eat my food, where it was nice and quiet, but tripped over Fang's foot on the way, sending both mine and Fang's plates tumbling into the dirt.

"Hey, watch it, idiot!" Fang yelled frustratedly, but then he must've seen the look on my face, and he immediately backpedaled. "Oh, no, Ig. I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

I felt red anger beginning to creep up in my face, but I swallowed my furious shout back at Fang. _It was an accident,_ I told myself, trying to keep calm.

But, the truth was, anger wasn't the true emotion I was fighting. It was pain.

The flock slipped up a lot, saying things like "watch it," or, most often, joking around carelessly. They would make a crack about my blindness, and I would just laugh along like it hadn't bothered me. But it did. It always did, it _hurt_ when they treated my liability so lightly, like it didn't matter that I was a mistake. Of course, the last thing I wanted was pity, but they just treated it like it didn't matter. Like I was invincible, like nothing could stop me.

But they were so wrong. I couldn't even find a few freaking sticks in the middle of a forest, and if I didn't have the flock there to help me, I'd be screwed. Because I can't do anything by myself. _Always having to hold someone's hand..._

I turned away from the flock and wordlessly took off into the sky, the one place I was welcome, where I truly belonged. Nothing, not even a thing like blindness mattered up here. Nothing mattered, the world below and all the pain it carried simply melted away in the smoky clouds of dusk. Ahh. That was much better.

_Iggy?_ said Angel's voice in my mind. She sounded worried.

_It's okay, honey, _Ithought back. _I'm not mad, I just... Need some time to myself. I'll be back in time for first watch, Okay?_

_Okay, be careful,_ she said, and I felt her presence vanish from my mind.

I flew for a good ten minutes, riding the air effortlessly, and reveling in the feeling of the wind in my face and feathers. It felt so good. I thought I should be heading back though, so I banked and made a turn for the opposite direction.

No sooner had I set my course back for camp, than a very familiar voice reached my ears, one that seemed to keep presenting itself at the absolute worst possible times.

"Hey, birdie. Wanna play?" the voice taunted.

Ari.

This day just gets better and better.

"Don't you show up at the best times?" I said sarcastically, turning to where I heard his voice, and struggling to stay in one spot. Our wings really aren't made for hovering. He laughed, and there was a cruel note in it.

"Now, I don't want any trouble," he began. "So I suggest that you come quietly, and maybe this will hurt less. For you, that is."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "You, and what pathetic army?" I heard him shrug.

"They are pretty pathetic," he agreed, and I could just hear the sneer in his next words. "But they've got guns. And you don't. We win."

I heard the _cli-cli-cli-click _of about half a dozen guns being cocked, and, assuming they were all pointed at me, I reluctantly put my hands up in surrender. Gosh, I hated that. And Ari knew it. I could feel his smirk as he flapped clumsily over and tied my hands and my wings behind my back, and my ankles together, while doing an even worse job at trying to hover than I was, with his heavy patchwork wings.

After that was done, he and his Erasery buddies carried me awkwardly through the sky, even farther in the direction I had just turned from. Needless to say, I felt really unsafe. Besides the fact that I was captured by Erasers that would love to see me dead, I was being precariously handled by amateur flyers hundreds of feet from the ground, with my own wings duct-taped tightly to my back. One slip-up, and I would be bird kid splatter art all over the forest floor.

There were no accidents though, obviously, and after about fifteen minutes, we began an unsteady descent to the forest below, landing clumsily on the grass. Erasers made for awful avian hybrids. I mean, who came up with that idea? Wolf-bird people? Then again, human-avians are pretty messed up, too.

Ari cut all my bonds, but I was still surrounded by giant mutants with guns, so I didn't try anything. One of them prodded my back with the barrel of his gun, and I walked forward 'til I stepped into a cool, echoing place. A cave.

"We're gonna have a little fun with you tonight, birdie," Ari said, and I could practically hear his fangs drip as he smiled nastily. "It's nothing personal," he continued, circling around me, while his comrades whined softly in exited anticipation. I heard a few cracking their knuckles. "We just needed someone weak that would have a harder time fighting back. And, needless to say, you fit the bill perfectly."

Sigh. Of course I did.

"Why do you need me?" I asked shakily, hoping to stall him. Maybe if I had time, I could think up a plan to get me out of this.

"Because, silly mutant," Ari said patronizingly, "Max needs to figure out that I can tear her whole world apart, and that I'm an enemy to be feared and respected." I held back a snort of laughter. In your dreams, dog face.

"And, you know Max," Ari continued, walking around behind me. "If anything where to happen to one of her precious flock..." He laughed darkly, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I didn't like where this was going, and the more I thought about it, the more hopeless my situation seemed. Unless the flock came to save me… I swallowed with difficulty.

I was going to die in this cave.

Without warning, Ari leapt at me from behind, grabbed my arm, and pulled it back towards him. With one hand he held my upper arm firmly in place, and with the other he yanked on my wrist, ripping it back, so my elbow bent the opposite way it was meant to. I heard a loud snap.

I tried to hold back my cry of pain, but it was too much, and my scream echoed throughout the small cave. I grit my teeth back against moans, as I nursed my mangled arm. Ari barked with laughter.

"You like that, freak?" he taunted, walking around to face me. I wanted to kick him, but I was in too much pain to concentrate on anything.

I felt the other Erasers gather around me, and before I could defend myself, they all started attacking me at once, pounding on my body without mercy. They punched me in the face, chest, back, and stomach, their huge fury fists hammering on me like cinder blocks.

When finally my knees buckled under the force of the beating, they kicked me 'til I lay there, curled up in a pitiful little ball in an attempt to protect myself. My arm screamed in protest, but I bent it as much as I could, and folded it up against myself to keep it from any more harm.

Ari ordered the other Erasers away from me, and he crouched down to my level, grinning nastily. "You want us to leave you alone?" he asked mockingly, reaching out to touch my hurt arm. I yanked it closer to me, away from his claws, and let out a mini-scream at the pain the simple movement caused. Ari chuckled. "Well, too bad, birdie. We still have so much more fun to have, before we leave your pathetic hide alone."

Ari must have motioned the others over, because soon, clawed hands grabbed me, rolling me over onto my stomach. I moaned with pain, as my hurt arm brushed the stone floor.

"You ready for more fun, freak?" Ari asked, as he reached through the holes in the back of my jacket, and roughly pulled out my wings. _No..._

"Look at your pretty little birdie wings," he crooned, running his giant claws over one of my wings, playing with the feathers. "Pity, that they're wasted on something as weak as you. Maybe someone should fix that..."

Then he laughed again, colder and crueler than before. I heard him turn to face his comrades. "One of you get my saw."

What? No!

The Erasers laughed, as the screams of pain rang through night. The longest night of my life.

**I know you guys must hate me right now, but I will make it all better, I swear! I love Iggy too, remember? And I strongly believe in happy endings. But it's no fun if you don't live through crap to get there, am I right? So you'll just have to wait. I have six chapters already written, but then things get a little harder, so be patient. You won't have to wait long.**

**By the way, that little arm-breaking bit? Kudos for Iggy, man, because I know ****_exactly _****what that feels like. My right-elbow was totally shattered like that when I was SIX. Take it from me, it's ****_painful_****. Just wanted to let you know, if it were ****_you, _****and not bird-kid tough like Iggy, you would be sobbing. So, yeah. He's a tough cookie.**

**Review? They're like candy to me. I might just answer you back, if I like you. Please tell me if my writing skill is crap or not, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks**. **:)**


	2. Discovering

**Hey, it's pandorad24, ready with the second chapter! I know, you're so exited. :)**

**DISCLAMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. If I did, Iggy would be the main character, and Fang would have a job scrubbing toilets.**

_~ Chapter 2 - Discovering ~_

I stood up from my place in front of the fire, pacing back and forth and rubbing my hands together in an attempt to warm myself up. The sky was nearly black now, and a few stars were just beginning to peek through the deep navy blue backdrop. The moon was almost full, glowing brightly enough to make the trees of the forest surrounding us leave looming shadows on the grass of our clearing.

It should have been a pretty night, but my mind was distracted with more important things than the scenery.

Iggy should have been back by now; Angel even said he volunteered for first watch. I hoped he was okay. Gosh, I bet he was freezing out there. So why hadn't he come back? He would've returned to camp if he was cold, I mean, we had a fire.

A terrible thought crept into my mind, followed by a cold, seeping feeling that had nothing to do with the chilly night air. What if Iggy was hurt? Or captured? Or... No. He had to be okay, he just had to.

"Fang?" I called shakily, sounding more scared than I had meant to. He looked up from the fire, concern written on his face. He walked over to me, and put his hand on my arm.

"You okay, Max?" he asked.

"It's not _me_ I'm worried about," I muttered, rubbing my arms, brushing his hand away. Jeez, it was freezing out here. He frowned.

"You think Iggy got lost or something," he said. It wasn't a question. I sighed, he knew me so well.

"Yeah. Or captured, or hurt..."

Fang looked at me kind of strange. His expression was soft. Mr. Rock, soft? The apocalypse was coming. "Should we go search for him?" he asked quietly, looking into my eyes trustingly for direction. This was too weird. Normally Fang and I butted heads over decisions, he almost never looked to me for guidance. What was with him lately?

"Yeah," I answered, spreading my wings for take-off. The kids saw me, and followed my lead, fluttering into the sky like angels. Well, dirty angels. Angels in desperate need of a hot shower. And decent food. And a bed. Yeah, we could all use a little of civilization's cozy comforts, after sleeping outside for a week strait. Ah, the joys of being a bird kid. And now we were speeding off in search of our blind brother, all hoping that he was just lost somewhere, and not... Oh, jeez. I couldn't let myself think about stuff like that. Just the thought of something happening to one of my flock...

We flew around for hours, until the sky was a deep, endless black, like a dark and looming shadow about to engulf us all as we swooped in low circles through the forbidden territory, using our raptor-vision to scope out the inky forest below. It was no use. There was no sign of Iggy, not anywhere.

"Max," Nudge groaned, looking like she was about to pass out any minute. "Max, we've been searching for _hours_..."

"We're gonna find him," I said, forcing myself to sound confident. Really, I was exhausted too, and finding Iggy tonight was starting to look hopeless.

I was thinking about turning back to camp, when I saw something. Was that?... _Duct tape_ on the ground? Yes. Duct tape, and some cut rope. My eyes scanned the trees around them, and immediately found a cave. Iggy had to be in there. And, due to the binding material on the ground, I'm guessing he wouldn't be alone. Great.

"Fang," I called, and pointed down. He saw the cave, and we all dived for it at once, looking extremely cool, like angry, avenging angels, and landed smoothly together among the trees. We ran into the cave, but were surprised to find Ari, just standing there, as if he were waiting for us. It was a trap.

"Hello, Max," Ari greeted coldly, and a pair of hands grabbed each of us from behind. Whatever, we were captured, same-old same-old. What I was really worried about was Iggy. My eyes darted around the cave, looking for any sign of him, but found nothing. But I smelled something... Blood. Oh, no. What had they done to my brother?

Ari laughed his usual cruel bark, and motioned for his comrades to bring us inside the cave. My teeth started to chatter slightly, as we stepped in. It was even colder in here than outside.

The Erasers held us lined up, back facing the wall. I was next to Fang, and I could tell he had smelled the blood, too. Ari paced in front of us, smirking slightly. I wondered what was so funny.

"So glad you could make it, Max," he said, glancing at me as he paced. "We've been having some fun with your brother."

Anger boiled up inside of me, as I thought of what Ari could have done to Iggy. Whatever it was, he would pay when we got out of this.

"Do you want to know what games we've been playing?" he asked.

"Scrabble? Monopoly?" I asked with fake interest. Ari only grinned back.

"Neither of those."

"Uno, then," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I was surprised when Ari didn't look annoyed. He seemed positively delighted about whatever he was going to tell us.

"Maybe I ought to just show you," he said, and turned to a couple of Erasers standing guard in the cave entrance. They nodded, went outside for a few minutes, and came back carrying something. Two somethings.

My stomach did back flips when I realized what they were.

Wings. Severed, bloody wings, each of them about eight feet long, with huge shining white and black feathers stained with blood.

Iggy's wings.

"No!" we all gasped at once, even Fang, and Ari laughed harshly.

"Poor birdie, I tore off his pretty little wings," he said, looking strait at me. I had never looked back at him with more fury in my life, I was so mad I wanted to just rip his wolfy head off, with my bare hands. Iggy's wings. How could he have done something as horrible as take Iggy's _wings_?

Ari laughed again. "Oh, that's not all we did to him, by the way." He was looking right at me as he spoke. I glared back, imagining him burning in... Well, you know. "We took the liberty of making the rest of him match them." He gestured to the torn, bloody remains of what used to be Iggy's wings. "Like, I sawed them off... Was it, after I broke his arm?"

"But before we broke his legs," the Eraser restraining Gazzy put in gleefully.

"And burned his feet," the one with Fang added with a growl.

"And broke his other arm," the one holding Angel barked. They all laughed, and I felt sick. Had they really done all those things to my brother?

"And, I believe most of his ribs snapped at one point or another, when we hit him hard enough," Ari said casually, watching my face. Have you ever looked at someone like, _'You are so going to die'_? Yeah, well, I could say that truthfully. Ari had been messing up our lives since we left the E-shaped house all those months ago, and this time he had really crossed the line. And he was going to pay for it with his life.

"So, after we were done torturing him," Ari continued, pacing again. "I was going to let Travis there rip his throat out," he said, gesturing to the Eraser holding Angel, who grinned wickedly, "But I decided I wanted you to be here when I murder one of your flock."

My blood ran cold, and my heart began to race. No. No, they couldn't kill Iggy. Not ever, but especially not in front of me, I couldn't live with that image in my mind, I couldn't.

Ari smiled evilly, and crossed over to the back of the cave, where the moonlight didn't reach. It was so dark back there that I couldn't see what he was doing, until he emerged, dragging Iggy by his hair. _Oh my gosh..._

Even in the dim light, I could see all the horror of what Ari had done to my brother. Iggy's long arms and legs were all bent at impossible angles, sometimes in several different places. Most of the skin that I could see that wasn't covered by either his clothes or dried blood, was horribly bruised, like a very dark plum or even black color. His face wasn't grossly disfigured like the rest of him, but both eyes were black, and his nose and mouth were bleeding badly. All in all, Iggy was in terrible shape.

Ari released his hair, and he fell to the floor with a gasp of pain. His bloody face was screwed up in the agony of his broken bones, and he wrapped a mangled arm around his stomach. He suddenly lifted himself off the floor as best he could manage, and dry heaved weakly. I watched him as he continued to struggle, trying to vomit, but was too tired to get anything up. He gave up with a moan, lowering himself back onto the floor, holding his stomach. He looked like he was in some serious pain.

"Iggy?..." I said, my voice barely audible. But Iggy had super ears, and he raised his head to me with difficulty.

"Max?" he said. His voice was extremely hoarse, barely above a whisper, as if he had used it too much. I realized with an awful nauseous feeling that it was probably from him screaming.

"Yeah, Ig, it's me, I'm here," I said, my voice a little louder now, but sounding panicked. The Erasers were too strong; I couldn't get away, no matter how much I struggled. Which meant that Iggy would die, right here in this cave, scared and in pain. I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone, though, that we hadn't just abandoned him. I _needed_ him to know that, if he really was going to die here. Oh, gosh. Not Iggy, not him. It wasn't fair.

Tears began to roll down my gritty face, leaving salty tracks. I couldn't believe I had let them take one of my best friends, practically my brother, let them torture, and now kill him. It was so sick.

"Ready to die, freak?" Ari asked, taking a fistful of Iggy's hair again and lifting him to his feet. Iggy's weight was just hanging, he had no way of standing on legs that broken. And, hadn't one of the Erasers said they'd burned his feet? It was so wrong, what they had done. All of it. And they would pay.

"Max? Max, help. Please," Iggy said in a weak, pitiful voice, making my anger melt, and was replaced by overwhelming sadness. Of course he didn't know that we were captured too. I wanted more than anything to help him, but it was hopeless.

"It's okay, Ig, everything will be okay," I said, unsuccessfully fighting tears. My heart was breaking, this was too much. Because I knew it was a lie. Everything was not okay, Iggy was about to _die_. And it was all my fault.

The tears made it hard to see, and I could feel myself getting faint from the shock of the situation, as I saw an Eraser approach Iggy as if through a dream. The Eraser morphed even farther into a nightmarish wolf creature, growing the full snout, and I saw the monster open it's jaws, it's fangs reaching for Iggy's neck...

And suddenly, the universe fell apart. A figure charged through the cave entrance, tackling the Eraser about to rip out Iggy's throat, and more figures followed after him, falling onto the rest of the monsters. In a daze, I watched Fang tear away from his distracted Eraser and go after Ari, attacking him with more ferocity than I had ever seen in him. Ari and him tore at each other in a heated fight, rolling around on the ground, and someone caught Iggy before he could fall.

Then everything went black.

**Oooh, cue ominous music! I know, always the cliffhangers with me, but the next chapter will probably be up in a matter of minutes, so chill. Some OCs coming up, which I think I did a nice job with. This isn't really a romance fic, but there will be some Iggy/OC and some implied Fax, but nothing major. BTW, I'm listening to The Fray's "Be The One" as I edit this. Gosh, let me just say now that I LOVE THE FRAY. Favorite band, no question.**

**Anyway, review? Tell me how I'm doing with the writing quality, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.**


	3. The Pack

**Aloha, it's pandorad24! Yeah, so, here's chapter three. Prepare for seven new OCs! Both Amber and Arabel are a lot like me, BTW, like two different sides of my personality. So… Enjoy my alter egos.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride, JP does, and he's not cool enough for my OCs, so.**

_~ Chapter 3 - The Pack ~_

"When do you think she'll wake up?"

"Soon, sweetheart. Just be patient."

What... What was going on? Ugh, my head felt like a snow globe, with a gallon of heavy water that shook around, rolling back and forth, coursing pain through my skull.

I'd had the worst dream. Iggy... He had been captured by Erasers. They tortured him. His wings...

I groaned, clutching my head and sitting up, and I realized I had been lying on soft cushions. The voices around me stopped, and I blearily opened my eyes to see who they belonged to.

Angel. Nudge. The Gasman. And...

My eyes flew wide open, all exhaustion forgotten. People. People I didn't know. People I didn't know, around my flock, around _me_, while I was sleeping. Fang and Iggy were nowhere to be seen.

"Gahhhh!" I snarled, leaping from the cushions, a couch, and tackling the nearest person to the floor, a very slim, tallish girl with strait pale-blond hair and a freckled face. She was ready for me, though, and faster than I could blink, whipped out her hand to stop mine from crashing into her nose. I was shocked. No one was faster than me, nobody, at least not a human.

She calmly rolled me off of her, still grasping my fist, and looked at me with alert, honey-colored eyes. "I see that you're awake, Max," she said in a strangely purring voice. "I know you must be worried about your family. Don't be. Me and my pack have no intentions of harming you, or your siblings, and are doing everything we can to save your brother. Aaron and Fang are with him now."

_Pack? Brother? Save? _ My brain processed. _Aaron and Fang are with him now..._

Oh my gosh. My dream...

"Iggy?" I breathed, forgetting that I didn't know this girl, forgetting that I didn't trust her, and only caring about one thing - _was Iggy okay?_

The girl grimaced, a mixture of pity and anger on her plainly pretty face. "Yeah. Aaron is trying everything he can to help him; he's our best medic. He was very... Upset, when he saw what those wolf-guys did to him. I - I've never seen him so angry."

"His... Wings?" I whimpered. My strong, sarcastic façade was forgotten. All I could think of was Iggy's wings, his strong, beautiful feathered wings, reduced to pitiful, bloody shreds in the Erasers' claws. The girl's face was filled with genuine sorrow.

"They're... Gone," she whispered, her voice soft with compassion. "I'm so sorry."

I just looked at her face, as the stupid tears leaked out of my eyes, hot and salty, rolling too slowly down my cheeks. Iggy. He would never fly again.

Nudge, Angel and The Gasman ran over and hugged me as I cried, all sobbing themselves. The other kids in the room, varying in height and build from the girl I attacked, watched silently, all with matching, mournful expressions.

They all seemed to care about us, and shared a portion of our heartbreak. The girl had mentioned "my pack". Not unlike my flock. Were they really not that different from us? The girl was too fast, too strong to be all human. They must be very much like my family. We could trust them, I decided, much faster then I would have if I didn't have more important things to worry about.

Iggy. The girl said, "doing everything we can to save your brother". She made it sound like he was an inch from death. Oh, gosh. I felt sick. I had to know _exactly_ how he was doing. I had to see him myself.

"Where is he?" I asked shakily, ignoring the tears I was beyond caring enough to wipe away. The pack kids looked at me, apprehension on their equally sad faces. "Where is he?" I repeated, "I have to see him."

One girl spoke up first, olive-skinned and more visibly toned than the lanky girl that had talked to me. "I know how badly you think you need to see him, but Fang is with him, and now really isn't the best time -"

"I have to know if he'll be okay!" I shouted, beginning to stand up, when I heard a horrible, piercing shriek. Nudge buried her face in the tall girl's shirt, who still sat on the floor, looking up at me with apologetic eyes.

"Was that?..." I asked in hushed, horrified voice. The girl bit her lip.

"Our safe house is good six hours away from the forest," she said quietly. "We had to drive since we don't have your wings, and Iggy must have been in that cave for at least four hours before we got there. With his super-healing, the bones had time to set wrong, so they've been... Re-breaking them."

Another scream rang through the house. It wasn't next door, but it was loud enough for the clearly pain-filled notes to be impossible to ignore. The sound of it was enough to make my knees go all weak and shaky.

"Why don't they knock him out?" I asked, pleading in my voice as there was yet another scream. This time I actually heard a snap as the bone broke.

"They tried, but he woke up," the girl said, clearly upset. "He couldn't sleep through it, so they just had to do it while he was awake. It's been going on like this for a while, now."

"Oh gosh," I said, feeling sick again.

"Here," a boy said in the same purr-like voice as the rest of them, taking my arm and leading me back to the couch, silently ordering me to sit. I did, and noticed how huge the guy was. He couldn't have been two years older than me, but he had bulging muscles like he had worked out obsessively his entire life. He had shaggy red hair and tanned skin, with deep brown eyes and a carelessly handsome face. He looked really friendly, like the guy that would be cracking jokes if there weren't a bird kid screaming in the background. He winced, as Iggy endured yet another painful break.

"What are your names?" I asked, trying to distract myself. "Why do you call yourselves a pack? Are you... Like us?"

"I'm Axel," the huge guy said, sitting down next to me, making the couch groan under his bulk. "That's Amber, the girl you ran-over," he said, pointing to the girl holding Nudge, who smiled shyly. "Arabel," he pointed to the girl that had answered me earlier, who nodded once, winking. "Aro," he said, gesturing to a boy that was the spitting image of Arabel, with dark hair and eyes and olive-skin. He reminded me a little of Fang, with black clothes and a permanent-scowl on his face, though he still looked sad. He nodded, not looking into my eyes. "Ash," Axel continued, pointing to a boy that looked around ten years old, with light brownish-blonde hair that spiked up in front under a side-ways ball cap, with dark brown eyes. Though he looked sort-of sad now, I could catch a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes. "And that's Aurora," Axel finished, nodding his head towards the last kid, a small girl with very pale blonde hair and skin. She had piercing blue eyes, and I realized she was the only one I had met that didn't have brown. She reminded me of Angel, with a look that foretold greater intelligence and knowledge than was expected for her years. I made a quick mental-note to watch her especially carefully, even if I could trust her. It was possible she was a mind reader, like Angel. Because that's exactly what we needed.

"And, of course, Aaron is with your bros," Axel said. "He'll probably want to talk to you when he gets a chance. He's sort of the pack leader, which I hear is your job, too."

I nodded, when he paused. I was still dazed, though there were no more screams for now, thankfully. Axel continued.

"So, to answer your question - yes, we are like you, if you mean human-animal hybrids. We come from the same kind of place, though we weren't there for as long. You guys had it rough. We picked up, or rather, _stole_ Ash and Aurora back from those nerd-freaks as soon as we heard that they were Amber's siblings. Speaking of, Aro and Arabel are twins, if you couldn't tell. Me and Aaron aren't technically related to anybody, but Arabel and I are BF and GF." Axel blushed slightly, grinning to himself, and Arabel rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Yep," she said, "He's my cuddly kitty."

"Um, kitty?" I asked confusedly. Axel was anything but your Fluffy back home. Everyone kind of chuckled, and I wondered what was so funny.

"We're all big-cat hybrids," Axel explained, leaning back into the couch. "I'm part tiger, if that wasn't obvious." He flexed his strong arms back with a pointed sigh. Arabel threw a book at him from a shelf behind her, hitting him on the nose. "Ow!" he complained, rubbing his nose. Arabel laughed.

"Yeah, the big, strong tiger. Quit showing-off, Ax. We all know you're the hugest hulking mass that ever walked the planet; you don't have to rub it in. I'm two-percent jaguar, by the way," she said, turning back to me. "And my silent twin over there is a leopard hybrid." she nodded towards Aro, who shrugged. Yep. Definitely like Fang.

"I'm part mountain lion!" the ten-year-old spoke up, his chin sticking out proudly. I almost laughed. He seemed like Gazzy.

"I'm a cheetah hybrid," Amber said quietly, and I noticed her voice purred more than anybody else's. Probably because cheetahs are slightly smaller cats than tigers or jaguars. At least, I thought they were. My education wasn't the best. "Aurora is two-percent snow-leopard," she said, gesturing towards the little pale girl, who looked at me with her piercing blue eyes. "And Aaron is part lion, of the African-not-mountain variety. King of the jungle, ruler of our souls." Everybody laughed again, even Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy, who were giggling shakily. I silently thanked the pack for cheering them up. It meant the world to me that my flock was happy.

"Thank you... For saving Iggy," I said quietly, looking down at the floor, hands wringing in my lap. "He... He wouldn't have made it, without your help. I don't know how we can repay you." Amber smiled kindly, hugging Nudge, who was still sniffing back tears.

"Please, don't mention it," she said, sounding very sincere. "We hate those wolf-guys, too. And when Aurora saw what would be going on in that cave -"

"Wait, what?" I interrupted her, looking at her strangely. "I thought I heard you say 'what _would_ be going on'."

"Oh, right, Amber said, with an amused look over at Aurora. "Aurora can see the future. I don't want to think about what would've happened, if she hadn't foreseen what those awful wolf-guys were up to this time." Aurora walked over and joined Amber, on the other side of Nudge, and leaned her head against her skinny shoulder. Amber stroked her pale hair with a proud half-smile.

Well, this day just gets more and more interesting.

**Yay for chappie three! Like my OCs? Have a favorite? Tell me about it! Think you know who Iggy will end up with? Give me your guess (it's pretty obvious anyway). Review! **


	4. Anger

**Yeah, it's pandorad24. Going back to the Iggy situation, here's a Fang POV. I don't particularly like Fang, but I enjoy doing his POV. But Iggy's is way more fun; I enjoy the challenge of fitting everything around him being blind. Anyway… Enjoy. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride (shocker).**

_~ Chapter 4 - Anger ~_

"It's all right, Ig, it's over," I said, as Aaron and I finished making the last break, one in his leg. Iggy was shaking all over, drenched with sweat. I could tell that he tried not to scream, but the pain was just too bad for the level of control he usually managed.

Gosh, poor bro. He was in terrible shape, and it didn't help that he had to endure the whole torture session a second time. It killed me, to do this to him. I could tell Aaron was upset too, his face just got more and more angry with each break. He was mad at Ari, and the other Erasers. As was I, I was so furious I could barely see strait.

All I could think of was my plans to kill Ari, which I hadn't gotten to do in the cave, we'd had to hurry and take Iggy to safety. Oh, yeah. He had been living far too long, hunting us like animals, _treating_ us like animals. His time was running out. He'd better be counting his breaths now, 'cause they would be some of his last.

"Go back to sleep, Igs," I said, trying to hide the anger in my voice. "We're done now. Go to sleep." Iggy was passed-out in a matter of minutes, and I was relieved that we wouldn't have to make any more breaks.

I turned to Aaron, who was gathering up bandages for Iggy's feet, which were burned excruciatingly badly on the bottom. The skin was so tender where they'd been charred that they bled, and would take probably another day to heal. I shook my head in anger. Just add it to the list of all the horrific things those Erasers had done to my brother.

"He'll be alright, Fang," Aaron said quietly, seeing my expression.

"It's just so... So..." I said, struggling to find the words.

"I know," Aaron said, as he began to carefully wrap one of Iggy's feet in the gauzy material. His face was full of hatred for the Erasers.

I was so grateful to Aaron and his pack. If they hadn't come... That Eraser was a split second from killing Iggy. I don't think I ever would have forgiven myself if he died. I mean, he was my best friend, my brother in every sense of the word but blood. None of us would have been able to forget.

But, Aaron was right. He would recover. Everything would be back to normal, except...

Except for his wings.

When Aaron finished with Iggy's feet, we carefully rolled him onto his stomach. He was still out cold. We had stripped him down to his boxers to get a better look at his injuries, so it was hard to see his back, with nothing to hide the damage. I had already seen it, just a quick peek to see if it was still bleeding (which it wasn't), but it was still a shock. We had decided to wait until the last minute to pay special attention to his back, convincing ourselves that the broken bones needed to be attended to first. But, really, we were just stalling. Because it killed me to see him this way, my best friend. Jeez.

His back was caked with crusty, dried blood, and his wings... Well, where his wings _used_ to be, were now just two deep gashes, halfway healed and yet still pretty gruesome wounds. I felt my stomach churn, and bile rose in my throat at the awful sight, but I swallowed it back down. Looking at Aaron, I saw that he wasn't holding up much better than I was.

"C'mon," he finally said, breaking the silence, and his voice was a little shaken. "We'd better clean him up."

I nodded, and he got up and walked out of the small room we were in, returning with a washcloth and large bowl filled with warm water. He kneeled back down next to Iggy on the floor, dipping the cloth into the water and wringing it out. He then began to very carefully dab away the blood caking his back.

I was used to blood, it really didn't bother me after years of living at the school being tortured and beaten by whitecoats, and then being on the run from mutant wolf men that, apparently, can't get enough of our pain. But this particular injury...

I winced. This wasn't just an injury; it was a cause for mourning. Iggy's wings were _gone_, chopped right off his back. A bird kid that would never fly again.

Aaron noticed my distress, and shook his head. "It's horrible," he said softly, wiping more blood off Iggy. "I can't imagine what it must be like, I mean... You can fly, and then, suddenly..." He let the sentence trail off.

We finished wiping off all the blood, so now there were just two giant wounds struggling to pull new skin over themselves. Now that it was cleaned up, it just seemed more final, somehow. It was all so overwhelmingly real. I just couldn't accept it. His wings, oh, gosh, his _wings_.

"It's so freaky, seeing him like this," I whispered, staring at the wounds. When Aaron said nothing, I continued. "I mean, I grew up seeing two... Giant... _Wings_ there. It's just..." I gave up on what I was trying to say, standing and pacing away from Iggy. I didn't want to have to look at it anymore. It was impossible to accept. Iggy was a bird kid. He had wings. I had seen them, everyday, for the past fourteen years. It's like your brother losing his arms, and I couldn't cope. Iggy had wings. He had wings, like the rest of us, he _flew_. And now, all that was gone.

Iggy would never fly again.

I howled with frustration, kicking the wall, sending my foot strait through it. Aaron didn't get mad at me, and instead his face showed that he agreed. He was upset about this too.

"Those... Those..." There truly wasn't a word disgusting enough to describe the Erasers, for doing this to my brother, my blind brother that had obviously suffered enough in his life, before they had _tortured_ him, and stripped him of his only hope of survival in a world where we were constantly having to escape from the very monsters that did this. And Ari...

Hatred, pure _loathing_ boiled up inside of me, so much that I wanted to either scream at the top of my lungs or vomit. _Ari_. This was all his fault, why was it that _everything_ lately was his fault? He had recently attacked us more times than I could count, had even beaten little Angel to a bloody mess. But this... Nothing like this. This was him purposely prolonging Iggy's death, making it as painful as possible until he finally called for his murder. It was torture, and he would have to carry that down to his grave, that I would dig personally.

And, you know what? I bet he didn't even care. He wasn't sorry. He didn't regret all the pain _he_ caused, to a human being. Sure, Iggy technically wasn't entirely human, but he certainly acted more human than the whitecoats, definitely more than Ari. I couldn't imagine Iggy ever wanting to do this to someone. Heck, not even _I_ wanted to do this, not even to Ari. No one deserved torture like this. No one deserved to lose something that had been their only source of comfort for the past seven years.

I had never asked, but I knew it was true. Iggy could cope with his blindness because the sky was always there, open for him when we weren't. And now that was gone. Just like his sight. How much more would he lose? How much more would be taken from him, by those monsters of his past? Ari. The whitecoats. They wouldn't stop until we were dead, until we had lost everything. Until they had taken _everything_ important to us.

Well, I wasn't just going to sit back and take it. I was going to fight for my brother, if only for the sake of bringing everything back in balance by supplying justice once more. I was going to kill Ari. I wouldn't rest until he was lying facedown in the dirt.

**There you go, some Fang angst. Just a prelude to the mind-blowing Iggy angst! Yeah, Max POV up next, and then a little surprise POV, but after that you get some Iggy, I promise. BTW, how do you like Aaron? He wasn't really in the last chapter. He's cool. Tell me how I'm doing, review!**


	5. Death Wish

'**Sup, it's pandorad24. Here's a peek at what's going through Iggy's head; I'll have his POV up soon. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I, pandorad24, do not own Maximum Ride. Happy?**

_~ Chapter 5 - Death Wish ~_

We were all laughing, when Fang and Aaron walked into the room, looking somber. Everything got quiet, and Fang said in an empty voice, "He'll be alright. He's awake now, if you want to talk to him."

I glanced over at the others. Nudge had scooted back over to Amber, who wrapped an arm around her, and Gazzy and Angel wore matching, anxious expressions.

It was obvious that they were scared to see him. Heck, I was scared too. What would I see? Would he be sad, scared... Angry? Angry at us? If we hadn't upset him, if we hadn't let him go... Oh, jeez. It _was_ out fault.

Now I _really_ didn't want to see him. How could I face him now, when I know that all his pain was partly because of _me?_

But I had to see him, if he was awake. He would want to talk to somebody, or at least have someone there, to provide him with a little comfort. If the rest were too scared to go... I would have to be the strong one. What else was new?

I stood up, and looked at Fang, trying to find something in his eyes that would prepare me for what to expect. Nothing. His eyes were empty, as expressionless as always. Until he met my gaze, and I found a trace of fury, of overwhelming grief. I swallowed back my own anxiety and put on a brave face, as I followed him and Aaron down a hallway of the pack house. We stopped at a door, and Fang looked at me. "Will you be okay?" he asked quietly, and I nodded. Then he opened the door, and I had to hold back a horrified gasp.

Iggy. He was lying on his back on the floor, shivering from cold and pain, and his skin glistened with sweat. The awful cuts and gashes were gone, leaving behind scars. Lots, and lots of angry, pink scars, littering his skin, a permanent reminder of the agony he had been forced to endure. His arms and legs lay strait and unmangled again, but the skin covering the places where they had been re-broken were a sickening reddish-purple color. I wished he had on more clothes than just his boxers, because I didn't want to have to see the lasting damage of what had been done to him. Oh, gosh. Poor, poor Iggy.

He turned his head at the sound of the door open, and said in a voice so quiet that I was practically reading his lips, "Max?"

I couldn't stand it anymore. I rushed over to his side, and knelt down next to him, taking his hand and squeezing it comfortingly. "Yeah, Ig, I'm here," I whispered, fighting back the threatening tears welling up in my eyes. I could feel his hand trembling in mine.

Fang came around to kneel at Iggy's other side, and Aaron hung back by the door, looking at us sympathetically. I couldn't take my eyes off Iggy. I had never seen him so in pain, so helpless, so small. He had always seemed so strong, like nothing could break him.

But now... This had crushed him; I could see it plainly in his haunted blind eyes. The torture had left him scared, no, terrified, and so, so hurt. Pain was written all over his face, the agony tattooed onto his skin, etched into his eyes. It was obvious that the whole ordeal hadn't just left him with visible scars - it had done so much more than that, cut deeper than I ever could've expected. And I realized… He knew that his wings were gone.

"Iggy..." I couldn't comprehend what he must be feeling. His _wings_. Of all the things the Erasers could do, of all the things Ari could take... This was by far the one thing that would hit him hardest. He needed his wings, needed them like I needed mine, like oxygen in my lungs, and life giving blood in my veins. And now they were gone. No warning, no reason. Just overwhelming grief and pain.

No, I would never be able to understand what Iggy was feeling just then. But I knew that I wanted to make it stop for him, more than anything I longed to take away his pain. He didn't deserve this; he was just a poor, blind, now wingless bird boy! What more could they possibly do to break him further?

"Max?" he said again, his hoarse voice a little louder this time. "Fang told me... He told me what happened." Iggy was struggling to speak; it came out as barely a whisper, with pain laced through his tone like weeds, constricting his voice. He paused for a while, and as I was about to say something mildly comforting, he said, "You guys should have just left me there."

"What?" I said intelligently. What on earth was he saying?

"You should have just left me there," he repeated, looking more lost and hopeless then I had ever seen him. "I'm blind. I'm a bird kid without wings. I...I'll never be able to fly with you guys again. I'm completely and utterly _useless_ now. You should have just let me..."

"Let you what?" I asked angrily, realizing what he was about to say. "Die? Is that what you want, after everything we've been through? You just want to _give up?_ What about the flock, huh? Do you honestly think we want you dead, if we went through all that trouble to save you?"

"Max, please," Fang said quietly, and from the look on his face I could tell that none of this was news to him. Hadn't he told Iggy the same things? What was his problem? Did he not care that Iggy wanted to _die?_

"Maybe _I_ want me dead," Iggy said, his face breaking out with a whole new wave of fresh pain. "Don't you get it? I'm _miserable_. My _wings_ are _gone_. Can't you understand that I hate being the weak one, the _useless_ one? I _hate_ it, Max. You may not have seen it, but it's always been that way. But, at least then I could..." his already weak voice broke, and I saw water begin to well up in his eyes. After taking a shuddering breath, he continued. "They took everything that held me together, Max. Everything that made me part of a flock, the one thing that entitled me to a _family_ for the first time in my life. You guys can't stay here forever, and now that that's all gone... I won't be able to come with you. And everything will fall apart. I'll be... I'll be alone. And that scares me more than anything."

It was quiet for a long time. I couldn't find any words that could possibly comfort my almost-brother. I never knew that Iggy felt those things, he was always a brick wall that just took the crap life gave him and met it with unfailing sarcasm and laughter. I never knew how to deal with it when Iggy occasionally got upset, it was just so unlike him and didn't fit his personality at all. But Iggy was obviously hurting, and had _been_ hurting, without me realizing it. What he must be feeling now... It was beyond my capability of understanding.

I just wanted the normal Iggy back, the one that made sarcastic, snarky comments that annoyed the crap out of me, the one that made bombs and cooked us mouthwatering meals, and was Gazzy's favorite big brother and Fang's best friend. I wanted the Iggy that was strong and unbreakable, who so often laughed in the face of his frustrations and fears, not the one that lay broken-down on the floor, in some kind of unimaginable pain, and suffering even worse grief and fear.

I wanted my brother back, but I knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, so I just leaned down and hugged him the best I could while he was laying down, around his neck because his back obviously had to be in terrible shape. He didn't complain, so I held him tight, trying wordlessly to express my sympathy and acceptance.

Fang just stayed knelt at Iggy's other side, saying nothing (shocker there), his eyes completely void of emotion. But I knew better, and was only very much aware that he got like this when he was secretly feeling the most inner- turmoil and pain. I tried to guess what was going through his head - grief, frustration, and anger. Yes, definitely anger.

I remembered, just before blacking-out, his attack on Ari. Imagine for me, some vicious mama grizzly bear, getting her revenge on the poor creature that was idiotic enough to threaten her cub - well, that was Fang. Only... Would you believe me if I said _more_ ferocious than that? And, well, Fangier. Less furry. Yeah.

When Iggy suddenly spoke again, he seemed much calmer now, almost like he was trying to shove all emotion away like Fang did. "How much longer do I have to lay here?" he asked quietly, starring blankly up at the ceiling he couldn't see.

"Until your bones set and your feet get well enough to stand on," Fang answered, his voice giving just as much away as his empty eyes did. Iggy said nothing, and just continued to lie there so still, that if I didn't feel his chest gently rising and falling as he breathed silently, I would have thought he was dead. His eyes looked dead.

I carefully pulled my arms out from around him, and gave his hand one last squeeze as I said, "I'll be right down the hall, okay? I need to tell the kids that you're all right."

The side of his mouthed quirked up slightly in a humorless smirk, and I mentally smacked my forehead. Of course he wasn't _all right_, he wanted to _die_ for fnicks sake! "Fang, you coming?" I asked in a tired voice. He simply shook his head, still looking down at Iggy.

Walking back down the hall of the pack house, Aaron followed me and touched my arm gently. I turned to look at him, and saw that he wore a very sympathetic expression and had a surprisingly furious glint in his eyes. I wondered what he was mad about, but then he said, "I'm so sorry about your brother, Max. I just wish we had gotten there sooner, we could have finished off that sadistic mutt and his cronies."

"It's alright," I said with a faint, forced smile, "We'll get 'em next time. Then they'll _really_ be sorry they ever messed with us."

Aaron nodded, but still looked like he wanted to rip someone's head off. Honestly, I don't know why I wasn't madder at Ari - I guess it's because, deep down, I had always expected something terrible like this to happen. I just never imagined it would happen to _Iggy…_

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari sat, watching as his squad moped around camp licking their wounds, literally, and growling over the food. They were a pathetic bunch, but the best The School would let him have. He had been lucky to get away with this mission in the first place; The School didn't like it when he let his emotions control him. And that was obviously why he had done it. He'd let his emotions take over, and hadn't even been successful, in the end.

It had never really been about the blind freak. Like he told him, it hadn't been anything personal concerning him, he just wanted Max to be crushed by his death. He could have just broken his neck, the second they landed, it would have done the job. But his emotions had controlled his actions, and he got carried away. And what had he done? He had broken nearly every bone in the other boy's body. And, of course, sawed off his wings...

He almost felt guilty; he really didn't have anything against the blind one in particular. In fact, though he didn't particularly like any of the bird kids, Iggy came the closest to understanding Ari at all. He had been betrayed by Jeb, too, when the whitecoats made him blind. Ari hadn't even been born yet, but he heard that his father supervised the fateful surgery, just stood there and let the doctors get away with it.

Really, he hadn't even really enjoyed torturing the older mutant. Yes, he had laughed at his pain, but it was because he knew that it would soon be Max's pain, too. Every bruise, every scar added to Iggy's body, every broken bone, every agonized scream of pain... It meant another crack in Max's sanity. And he would do anything to achieve her ruined life.

Because she had ruined his.

**Awwww, poor suicidal Iggy. And how did like that little Ari bit? Ari rocks, he's just so misunderstood. Anyway, Review? I personally think this chapter is some of my best work, but I would like to hear what you guys think. Reviews make my day.**


	6. Blame

**Hey, pandorad24 here. Sorry for such a short chapter, but this is as far as I've pre-written. After this, you're just gonna have to wait for an update. I promise to try to post as soon as possible, but my schedule is quite unpredictable, so we'll see. For now, here's that Iggy POV that I promised. Even when he's depressed and suicidal he's still a little funny, which is one of the things I love about him. And you get a little insight on his favorite pack member… So, enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride, or sadly, Iggy. Sigh.**

_~ Chapter 6 - Blame ~_

I wanted to die. I wished Aaron and his pack hadn't even bothered helping me. I didn't deserve it. I was useless now. I wanted to die.

Fang sat silently beside me, and I felt guilty that he felt like he had to stay there. Didn't he get it? Hadn't I told him not to waste his efforts on me? I was never going to believe that I was anything more than the useless flock member that was holding him and the rest back. I was deadweight. I wouldn't blame them if they wanted to toss me in a ditch and leave me there. Well, maybe I would. But it was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not.

I winced. Of course I wouldn't want them to. I was terrified of losing them, all my friends, my only family. I could just see it now, the day they would leave me. It would be after I was healed, when they would realize that I was just about as useful to them on my feet as I am here on the floor. They would all hug me, tell me that they would be back soon to visit, fake, nervous smiles plastered on their faces. Then they would all fly out hastily, leaving me here with Aaron's pack. Blind. Wingless. Alone.

Fang finally speaking pulled me out of my hopeless depressed thoughts. What was he saying? "... Don't know if he's going to eat anything, actually. Iggy, are you hungry? Igs?"

I could smell something delicious, and I felt an uncomfortable pang of hunger. I realized I hadn't eaten since noon yesterday, and it was about five in the morning now. I was starving. "No," I answered flatly.

"C'mon, Iggy," Fang said quietly, placing his hand on my arm, where it wasn't broken. "I know you're hungry. Starving yourself might sound like a brilliant plan now, but I'm not going to let you give up that easy. I know it's... Hard... For you, but you're my best friend and I'm gonna look out for you, wings or no wings. I've got your back, bro." He ended his speech in a determined tone, and I got the feeling he was talking more to himself than me. Pep talks were very un-Fang like, but, hey, the guy was full of surprises.

"I'll just leave this here, then," said a soft, purring voice. My ears perked up. Who was _that?_ Her voice was beautiful, like princess meets talkative house cat, or something. Through the aroma of whatever meal she was carrying, I could smell a hint of honey on her, and almond oil...

Wait. What the heck is wrong with me? It was just one of Aaron's pack. Just a girl, not like some goddess to adore. She _sounded_ like it, though. When she shifted her weight to set the food down, I could tell she barely weighed a thing. But her voice sounded like she was my age. Hmm...

I was about to lean over and ask Fang in a whisper what she looked like, but I pulled myself back into reality just in time. I was being ridiculous, here I was, in the middle of a crisis, and I was interested in what one mutant girl looked like. Jeez. I blamed hormones. Bird instincts combined with testosterone were enough to make a guy pretty drooly over girls, obviously. I could have smacked myself in the forehead, you know, if my arms weren't broken.

I heard mystery girl leave the room, and the next thing I knew, a slice of pizza was stuck into my mouth. Awesome, both my arms were broken, so Fang had to _feed me_. Jeez, it was so humiliating. I'm so useless that I can't even _eat_ by myself. I felt my face burning, but I let Fang feed me the stupid pizza. I barely tasted the food. When you suddenly can no longer fly, and nearly every bone in your body is shattered in half, and you feel nothing but your own uselessness and unbearable pain, then things like the flavor of a simple slice of pizza lose all importance. Life is funny that way.

"Iggy..." Fang said after some time, when I had finished and we both sat (or in my case, lay) on the floor in silence again.

"Hmm?" I said absentmindedly, staring up into the darkness I presumed to be the ceiling.

"I... I'm so sorry," he muttered.

"For what?" I said, my useless gaze flickering to him now.

"For everything. All this, all that's happened... It's my fault. You left because I was an idiot. I'm sorry you're hurt, I'm sorry you want to die, I'm sorry your life sucks and your wings are gone. I'm so sorry, Iggy."

I was shocked. None of this was his fault, not one bit. "Fang..." I said. "I don't blame you."

"I know you don't," he said, sounding angry now. "That's what makes it so much worse. You only blame yourself for what happened, which is bull crap. No, you got hurt because of me. But that doesn't matter, 'cause you don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not your fault, Fang," I said quietly. "I was too weak. I couldn't get away. Which makes this _my_ fault."

I heard Fang suddenly jump up from his seat on the floor, and I could feel all the terrible anger and guilt rolling off him as he stood shaking slightly. "Dang it, Iggy!" he shouted, and I cringed. Not because of the angry words, but because of the hurt in his voice. Why did he care so much about me? I was nothing. Useless. "What's the matter with you?" he yelled. "Why can't you just accept that it was me that hurt you and be mad at me? Why do you have to blame yourself? Are you trying to get attention, is that it? You know, Iggy, one of these days you'll realize that the world doesn't revolve around you." And with those final, cold words, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door, leaving me alone and lying motionless on the floor.

**Isn't Fang a jerk sometimes? Seriously, Iggy is gravely injured, unable to move, as well as going through some seriously bad depression, and Fang yells at him and leaves him all alone. Jeez. Anyway, I'm pretty sure the whole Iggy/Amber thing was obvious, but I think they would make a good sort-of couple.**

**Review? You know I love input. Tell me how I'm doing with the writing quality, give me suggestions, blah bah. You know the drill. Thanks!**


	7. Guilt

**Yo, pandorad24 again. Congratulations to Fangfan-something, you were my first reviewer! I believe you wrote "Forgetting Yesterday", am I right? I love that fic. Anyway, here's some pack action, and then some more Fang. Flight scene, yay! I feel like I do some of my best work with those flying bits, so, enjoy. Plenty of angst in this chapter, so I hope you weren't looking for sweet, happy family fluff. 'Cause that 'aint gonna happen any time soon. Sorry.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride… Iggy does! IGGY FOR PRESIDENT! (Actually, no, he would probably blow up the continent, so…)**

_~ Chapter 7 - Guilt ~_

That poor guy. He was only my age, and he had already gone through more than anyone should have to endure. That Fang boy told us he was blind, because of the whitecoats I had only known for the first five years of my life. Imagine, being _blind_. That had to be horrible. And then this had to happen, because of those sadistic dogfaces. I think his family was all in shock still, sobbing all over the place. I felt so bad for them.

Stopping at the door at the end of the hall, I took a deep breath, summoning all the courage I could, and walked into the room carrying one of the pizzas we had ordered for our poor guests. I forced myself to look at the still figure on the floor, and pity overpowered my fear. He looked so sad. And… Dead. Of course, I knew he wasn't, but his eyes looked glazed-over in a way that couldn't have anything to do with him being blind. Aaron had told me… He told me that Iggy wished we had left him there. So that he would have died.

I shuddered to myself, and asked him in a very quiet voice, "Are you hungry?"

Fang, who sat beside him, looked up at me with eyes that were nearly as empty as Iggy's on the floor, and answered, "I don't know if he's going to eat anything, actually." Turning to his brother now, he asked, "Iggy, are you hungry? Igs?"

Iggy's only response was a dull "No."

"C'mon, Iggy," Fang said quietly, placing a hand on Iggy's arm. "Starving yourself might sound like a brilliant plan now, but I'm not going to let you give up that easy…"

Oh, jeez. So that was his plan. I had lived through torture and imprisonment at The School in New Mexico, but never had it been so bad that I considered _suicide _as a reasonable alternative to all the pain and fear. How desperate would you have to be for an escape that you look for ways to _kill yourself? _Oh, that poor guy.

"I'll just leave this here, then," I said, setting the pizza down on the floor beside Iggy. I could have sworn that I caught a flicker of interest in his ice-blue eyes when I spoke, but it passed just as quickly as I saw it, giving way to the emotionless glaze of before.

I left the small room without a word, shutting the door quietly behind me, and joined the rest in the living room. "How is he?" Max asked, ill-concealed desperation in her eyes.

I sighed. "He looks… Dead." Angel nodded to my right, a grim, understanding grimace crossing over her young face. Ah yes, the mind reader. I wondered for a brief moment what the strange blind boy was really thinking about all this.

Suddenly, an angry, muffled shout rang through the house. "Dang it, Iggy!" Fang yelled, and I flinched. What could he be mad about? It could only his broken brother on the floor that he was shouting at. "What's the matter with you?" he continued, just as loud. "Why can't you just accept that it was me that hurt you and be mad at me? Why do you have to blame yourself? Are you trying to get attention, is that it? You know, Iggy, one of these days you'll realize that the world doesn't revolve around you." And with that, he burst out of the little room, slamming the door behind him, and stormed down the hall and out the back door.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"You know, Iggy, one of these days you'll realize the world doesn't revolve around you!" I shouted, turning and running out of the claustrophobic little room, and down the hall. I sped right through the back door of the pack house, and didn't hesitate in shooting out my dark wings and doing a U-and-A strait for the deep blue dawning sky.

I rocketed upwards, and for a moment I was overcome with the awed feeling that always came with take-off. It was exactly what I needed. The wind in my face, hair, feathers and clothes, sweeping away all my frustration with it, the white roar of whistling air in my ears and water welling up in my eyes from the pull and sting of the wind as I shot strait up, as high as my wings would take me. Then, there was that moment of ecstasy as I reached the highest point, simply floating on my back in the open air, before I fell backward, completing the huge back-loop, gaining speed as I neared the ground. Just as I was about to hit the trees, I leveled out and sped forward, away from the dismal house I had left.

Ah. That was better. I slowed down just a little, relaxing into the brisk wind, and looked down and watched the dark leaves on the trees below rushing past, a rapid river of green in shadow. I just cleared my head and enjoyed it, flight. It had given us some kind of a complicated life style, for sure, but it was times like these when I marveled at how good it was to escape sometimes, to be up there, in the open air, so free…

Gosh, I loved having wings.

No sooner had I thought those words, than a wave of the emotion I had run from crashed over me, stronger than ever before, the terrible, unbearable guilt. It was enough to make my wings falter for a split second, sending me into the trees. I barely noticed. I flew strait into a tree, and I clung to it, throwing my leg over a branch and scrambling to sit down and not fall. I realized I was shaking.

How could I have been such a _jerk?_ I had driven Iggy to leave camp because of my words before, and, because of that, because of _me, _he'd had his wings ripped violently from his back. Then, when he lay on the floor, broken-down and vulnerable, I had shouted at him because of my own anger and frustrations. And now what? I was enjoying my own wings, when I had been the one to take that gift so painfully away from my own _brother_, my freaking best friend!

"Aurgh!" I roared with anger, beating on the trunk of the tree I was sitting on with my fists, sending out foul insults, more or less at myself, with each hit. I was so mad at _Ari_ before, when, really, it was all _my_ fault. My knuckles began to bleed as they scraped along the rough tree bark, but I just hit harder. _Really, Fang, does no one deserve torture like Iggy got?_ I thought to myself, as I continued to throw my fists at the tree with all my bird kid strength._ 'Cause, right now, I'm thinking that you would be a great candidate for pain like that._ I deserved it. Iggy didn't.

But, that's just the way life works, isn't it?

When exhaustion finally got the best of me, I leapt down to the forest floor below, landing hard and stumbling onto my knees. I had to get away from this, the guilt, it was eating me alive. I let out a random scream, and it rang through the early morning, the rising sun just beginning to peek through the surrounding trees, bathing the waking forest with it's golden glow. Birds began to sing their secret tune, as I knelt in the dirt, shaking and breaking down. _Shut up_, I wanted to tell them, _just shut up and leave me alone_. It was all too happy. I wished it would rain. I wished there would be a forest fire; the savage flames eating at the friendly trees surrounding me, before they roasted me alive also. After all, I deserved it.

As I bent my head down into the dirt, my shaking hands gripping madly at my hair, and I let out another frustrated scream for all the forest, all I could think was, _I wish I would just die._

**There you go, suicidal Fang. Is there anyone who **_**doesn't**_** want to die in this fic? Oh, and I just realized that I had mentioned Total in the first chapter, and forgot to put him in any of the others. Well, whatever, this fic is complicated enough without a talking Scottish terrier, so forget Total. Which brings me to the time period of this fic… Probably after they rescued Angel, but none of that stuff with Anne and school has happened, so somewhere between TAE and SOF. So just pretend like they never rescued Total. Yeah, sorry readers. My bad.**

**Review? I know I say this every time, but I LOVE REVIEWS. I just like to see if anyone cares about this fic. You should though, because, I mean, Iggy's wings are at stake here! C'mon people, review, save a blind bird kid today!**


	8. Tick Tock

**Yep, it's pandorad24 – your favorite author!… Unless I'm not, then… Awkward. Anyway, here's chapter eight! You now get a glimpse at the reason why one of my selected genres was "adventure". There will be some Max POV, then more Fang, then Max again. I think this chappie's gonna be mighty long. Don't worry, Iggy lovers, there's some of his POV coming up in the next chapter. That one's going to be UBER angsty, you can count on it. So, until then, enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. But my cat thinks he does… (Randomness).**

_~ Chapter 8 – Tick-Tock ~_

After the back door slammed closed behind Fang, the house was eerily quiet. Everyone was looking at each other confusedly, and I got up to go check on Iggy in the back room. I hoped Fang hadn't hurt him too bad. He was just… Stressed. About a lot of things. I don't think he meant to yell at Iggy like that.

Opening the door at the end of the hall, I found Iggy in the exact same spot that I had left him in, with an empty pizza box lying open beside him. He looked sad.

_Duh, Max, of course he looks sad_, I thought to myself, _he freaking lost his wings and his brother just yelled at him. _Yeah, I was going to have to talk with Fang when he came back, and was cooled down enough to think strait. He shouldn't have shouted at Iggy, no matter how frustrated he was.

Iggy's sightless eyes flickered to me, silently acknowledging that I was there, and I moved to sit down on the floor beside him. "How you doing?" I asked him quietly, and he shrugged, wincing with pain as he did so. "You know he didn't mean it, right?" I said.

He nodded.

I sighed. "Okay. Do you want me to stay here with you?" He thought about it for a second, and then nodded again. I smiled to myself; it felt good that he wanted me there. Though we deserved the blame for all this, I was selfishly glad that he didn't hold us responsible.

I settled myself leaning back against the wall, and we sat in silence, simply listening to each other's gentle breathing. It was nice, peaceful, even. I hadn't really rested from the chaos since the whole ordeal started, and I appreciated the break. I listened to the soft ticking of a clock in the room, _tick-tock, tick-tock_. I fell into the comforting sound, closing my eyes and keeping beat in my head.

_Tick-tock, tick-tock_. The simple noise meant so much. Ticking away the seconds, counting down the minutes, the months and years. _Tick- tock_. Who knew how much time we had? Iggy had so nearly _died_ yesterday. It was unsettling, to think about it. _Tick-tock_. Like a heartbeat. _Tick-tock_. How long would this last? What was next for the amazing bird kids? _Tick-tock_. Was Iggy right? I didn't want to save the world, but how long could I afford to put it off, before I no longer had a choice? Would we really have to leave him here? _Tick-tock_.

Through the hypnotic sound of the clock beats, I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I opened my eyes, and saw Nudge standing in the doorway, holding Fang's laptop, which was open, the screen glowing white-and-blue. "Um, Max, we got an e-mail," she said. "Well, it's actually for _you_, but we all want to read it too. Maybe it's love-mail! From a secret admirer! Ohmygosh, then I totally _have _to read it, I'm, like, the queen of romance. Well, I've never actually had a boyfriend, but I must've read, like, _at least _forty issues of Teen-Pop magazine in my lifetime, so I think that obligates me to be able to read it, if it's love-mail. Wouldn't that be so cute? Don't you just _love_ love? It's, like, the best thing since MTV, and lip-gloss! I wonder who it could be? And –"

"Nudge, please," I interrupted her. "How could I _possibly_ have a secret admirer? Who would be that insane?"

"I can think of one," Iggy muttered, but I barely heard him, standing up and reaching for the laptop. Nudge handed it over to me, and I sat back down cross-legged on the floor, opening up the e-mail. The reply address read "savetheworld" at . Something told me that this wasn't from a secret admirer.

My eyes scanned the screen, and Nudge must have seen the look on my face as I read, because she said, "What's wrong, Max?"

"Nothing," I said, plastering a reassuring smile on my face, "Just junk mail."

It was a lie. I quickly stood up and walked briskly out of the room with the laptop, muttering something about fresh air, and stepped out the back door and into the dim backyard surrounded by woods.

Where the heck was Fang? I needed to talk to him, immediately. Looking back down at the laptop screen, I read the e-mail again, the words ingraining themselves into my brain.

_Hello, Maximum. While you've been vacationing, Itex continues to destroy our way of life. The world needs you, and your flock, and the time has come that you can no longer ignore the building crisis. You will fly to Vancouver and find the Itex branch located there, and recover files B48GM and B49GN. Once retrieved, respond with the coded coordinates written on the files. Within twenty-four hours subsequent to your response, you will receive the same coordinates, decoded, via e-mail. You will follow them, and shall be instructed on how to respond from there._

_You cannot ignore this very serious request, Maximum, not this time. If you do, there will not only be fatal consequences for the world as we know it, but also for your flock. You have been warned. Respond with your notice of agreement within the next two hours._

_The clock is ticking, Maximum._

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I don't know how I was going to face Iggy again. To have to watch him struggle and hurt over my mistakes. So many times in the past hour I had considered just ending it, life, so that I wouldn't have to. But that would hurt the rest of the flock, and I couldn't bear to be the cause of any more pain to my family. In the end, I just decided that killing myself wasn't an option, and just stay knelt on the ground, my head pressed into the dirt, my hands clenching in my hair. I hadn't bothered to move since I had fallen there.

I began to hear wing-beats, coming closer with each passing moment. As the sound drew nearer, it became clear that it couldn't belong to any normal-sized bird. It had to be Max, coming to find me.

I considered moving to a more concealed area, so as not to be found, but I stayed where I was. She spotted me in a matter of moments, and she fluttered down beside me. I waited for her to say something, to hear her concerned voice as she looked at me, curled up like a tortured man on the ground. But, instead, her words were rushed and frantic as she placed my open laptop on the ground in front of me.

"Fang, read the e-mail! I don't know who it's from, I don't know what to do… Oh, gosh, Fang, what the heck are we going to do?" Her breathing was way too fast, and, looking up, I saw that her expression was panicky, like someone had just told her chocolate-chip cookies were now banned in all states.

Turning to my laptop, I quickly read the e-mail she was so… Oh my gosh_. No._

"What are we going to do, Fang?" she said exasperatedly, waving her arms.

_No, _this couldn't be happening. _We couldn't just leave him!_

"Fang?" Max said shakily. She was looking at me expectantly, like she wanted me to give her the answers. Well, there was only one, wasn't there?

Sighing, I said quietly, "There's only one thing we can do."

"And what's that?" She said breathlessly.

"We have to go. We'll just have to leave him, Max."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I did it. I sent the agreement e-mail.

What were we going to tell Iggy_? Hey, Ig, remember what you said about being alone? Yeah, well, we're just gonna go now, the Itex branch in Vancouver awaits! _Oh, gosh. I hated this, I hated that we were going to leave him, just as he's barely healed. It killed me. The entire flight back to the house with Fang, I tried to think of how we would break it to him, but, no matter how I put it, it was all came down to the same thing_: we're leaving you._

As we landed in the backyard and walked up to the house, I could hear laughter coming from inside. Of course everyone had to be in a good mood. What were they so happy about?

We stepped through the door, and my eyes fell on Iggy, sitting up, on the couch in the living room. He still looked exhausted, and he was even paler than usual from his little walk down the hall, but I could tell he was glad to be out of that room. Amber was sitting beside him, and she was laughing, probably at something he said. Iggy was sort-of smiling too, which of course was definitely _not _how I wanted him when he heard the news.

I cleared my throat so everyone would notice that we walked in, and Nudge bounced over to us, beaming. "See, guys? Iggy's bones are all better! His feet are still a little messed-up, but he was able to get all the way down the hall! Isn't that great?"

Iggy turned his head to us, and my heart sank when I saw the guilt in his eyes. What was eating him? Oh, right. His and Fang's little fight. He believed this was all _his_ fault, so he felt guilty because Fang was upset with himself. Jeez.

"Um guys?" I said, not making eye contact with anyone. "Would The Pack kindly step out for a sec? The flock and I need to have a talk."

Amber smiled warmly up at me. "Absolutely." She got up from the couch, and I noticed that she brushed her hand against the back of Iggy's as she stood. I'm sure it was an accident. The rest of The Pack filed after her, stepping past Fang and I and into the backyard, which was getting lighter with each passing minute. Shutting the door behind them and turning back to my flock, I cleared my throat again self-consciously, attempting to prepare myself for the words I wanted more than anything not to have to say.

"Okay. Guys?" I said, pacing in front of the couch they were all sitting on, with Fang standing still and silent beside me. "As you know, we received an e-mail today…" Oh, gosh. How was I going to do this? "And, um… It said that we're supposed to… Fly to Vancouver. To the Itex branch there, to steal some files."

You could have heard a pin drop on the carpet in that room.

"…_What?_" Gazzy said, his face unbelieving and slightly angry. Nudge looked nervous, and Angel's expression was pained. I knew she was feeling everything that was going through Iggy's head. On the outside, however, his face was completely calm. As if he was expecting this. Oh, gosh.

"I told them we would do it," I continued, trying not to show how miserable I felt. "We're leaving in a few hours."

"But… Max," Nudge said, confused. "What about Iggy?"

Iggy stiffened, but his face remained the same, almost forcibly calm. I hated doing this to him, making him hurt like this. But, what else could we do? A whole lot of good a wasted world would do us, and it was better he be alone than our flock be hunted down and killed by whoever had sent that e-mail. Right? I had no other choice.

"He's going to stay here, Nudge," I said, confident in my decision now. "Then when we come back, we'll figure something out – we can't stay here and mooch off of Aaron and his pack any longer than we have to." At those words, Iggy's calm expression became visibly forced. His hands were shaking in his lap. "Everyone needs to gather up anything we'll need, and find a backpack to put it all in."

No one moved.

"C'mon, guys," I said in a reassuring voice, "We _have _to do this, I mean, it's the _world _we're talking about _saving_, here. Think of all the things you would miss – MTV, for one, Nudge, and lip-gloss. Chocolate-chip cookies."

Still no response.

I sighed. "Guys," I said, "we're coming back, you know. It's not like we're just ditching Iggy here. We'll be back before you know it."

At that, Nudge got up, and turned to the rest. "Max is right, guys," she said, "We, like, have to go. If only for the sake of chocolate-chip cookies, and orange soda, and puppies, and The Jonas Brothers, and Twitter, right? And bombs, Gazzy. How would you make bombs if the world was destroyed?" He shrugged, but Nudge seemed to have won him over.

Angel looked up at me then, her big blue eyes watery and full of pain. Iggy's pain. We would be back, though. There was no reason to be upset about this. But Iggy still looked like he was desperately trying not to let his emotions show, hands shaking and keeping his eyes trained on the floor.

_He'll be okay_, I told myself. _We'll be back._

In the back room, I could hear the faint ticking of that clock on the wall, beating down the minutes until it was time to leave. _Tick-tock…_

**Look at that, the story's moving right along, isn't it? Yeah, poor Iggy. He **_**just **_**got healed enough to get off the floor, and already Max wants to leave. I know, she didn't have much choice, but still. Fang is still angsty. Iggy is obviously very angsty, and both wish they were dead, but Iggy more so than Fang. This is **_**such**_** a **_**happy **_**story, isn't it? Why don't we just throw cutting into the mix?… Oh, wait. I **_**was **_**planning on doing that, wasn't I? Yeah, I'm going to make Iggy cut. What else is he supposed to do? Be miserable until he's driven to suicide? I don't think so, so this is my solution. As they say, "don't like, don't read". This shall be interesting, for sure… I've never done a cutting story before, but I've got the gist of it. So… Yeah.**

**Review? I've had, like, 235 hits, and only about 20 reviews. You know what, readers? That's messed up. So please, review, tell me how I'm doing. Thanks! :)**


	9. Alone

**Yo, it's pandorad24. Okay, here's that mind-blowing Iggy angst that I promised. And the cutting. About that, I don't think I'm going to be too extreme with it, just a little for flyegurl, my favorite writer/reviewer, who requested it, and because I was already considering putting some in here. Also, because most of The Flock is off doing their own thing, The Pack will be a little more into the story when it's Iggy POV. Yes, I'm going to switch back-and-forth between POVs just as before, so you get all sides and dimensions of the story. So… Yeah. Here's Iggy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. But I do own this fic. Hear that, JP? No stealing! **

_~ Chapter 9 – Alone ~_

It was exactly as I had imagined it. The day they left. Of course, I never would have thought it would be so soon; I had only just barely healed! Apparently they were sick of me already. And who could blame them? I was completely useless, and there was no room for that in a Flock that has to soar to survive. I just wish I'd had a little more time… I mean, they were my family. My family, that was ditching me here, to live with these other mutants that I barely knew. Gosh, it hurt. It hurt like all heck.

Everyone took their turn hugging me, saying goodbye. Nudge was first, bouncy and energetic as ever, blabbing on about how cool The Pack is, and how much I'll "totally love them!" Then Gazzy, my mini pyro. He told me we would make a huge bomb when he got back. That would be fun. _If_ they ever came back…

Angel came up to me then, and hugged me fiercely around the legs, since I was too tall for her to reach. I bent down and scooped her up gently, holding the little girl close. If it wasn't Fang, my best friend, that I was going to miss the most, I think it would be Angel. She understood me the best. She was just so sweet, and innocent. Well, except for when she was taking over your mind. That was pretty creepy.

_I'm going to miss you too, Iggy, _said her voice in my head. _A whole lot. You're just as much my big brother as Gazzy. I love you, Iggy._

See what I mean? She was such a cute little girl, it was hard not to be happy when you're around her. I remember when she was just a little infant, fresh out of The School. Max was always busy helping Jeb wrestle the other kids into the bath, so I would usually be the one putting her down in her crib. I would make sure she had her favorite stuffed bear that was nearly as big as her, and I would wait there until she fell asleep. I would always know when she was asleep, because she made this cute little baby snoring noise. It was adorable. And, even since then, she's always been my sweet little sister. Yeah, I act so tough, but grown men can't stay unaffected by her adorability. She just makes you wish that you could still be as innocent as her.

I just wished that life would be _normal_ for once. I wished that I could just be a kid. A _normal _teen, that went to school, and hung out with a bunch of different people and wasn't worried about whether one of them would suddenly come out with a whitecoat needle, or turn out to be an Eraser. Or, hey, how 'bout just being able to _see _whatever's in front of you? There were so many things I wished were a part of my life, and every one of them was completely unrealistic for a kid with –

…Never mind.

Angel started crying into my shirt. She clung tighter to my neck, holding on like she would never let go, and I patted her hair comfortingly. "Hey, it's okay, Ange'," I said softly. She just let out a muffled sob on my shoulder. Oh, jeez. I hadn't wanted this; no one was supposed to be hurt today but me! This was all my fault.

_No, it's not your fault, Iggy, _Angel said in my mind again. _Fang is right, this was_ our _fault. I could have stopped you, but I didn't. If anyone deserves blame, it's everyone_ but_ you._

No, no. This wasn't their fault! Why didn't they get that _I_ was responsible? Only myself was to blame for all the pain I was in. Even _Angel_ didn't believe me. Oh, jeez. Why did this have to be so difficult for them? This was all _my_ problem. I didn't want for them to suffer over me.

Max reached out and pried Angel off me, and I heard the little girl sniffling into her brother's shirt, now. Max pulled me into a quick hug, careful about not touching my back, and said, "We'll be back soon, Ig."

I wished they wouldn't lie to me like this. Somehow, I knew they wouldn't be back. It's not like my wings would magically reappear in a few weeks, and I could just fly off with them like nothing ever happened. I would never stop being useless to them, and I was almost positive that the mysterious e-mail Max got never actually existed. They just didn't want me to feel bad. Well, guess what? It was far too late for that. I just wanted to curl up in a corner and break down, it hurt so bad.

The only one who hadn't hugged me yet was Fang, who was hanging back by the door. There was silence for a few seconds, while I assumed everyone was waiting for Fang to give his goodbye. That silence lasted, however, until Max cleared her throat awkwardly, and said, "Well, we'd better head-out, guys. Bye, Iggy."

I would've said "bye", but my throat was gradually getting tighter, so I simply nodded at the floor. I heard the back door open, and everyone filed out. The door swung shut behind them, and I heard as their feathers ruffled and their wings flapped down hard to lift them all away.

Just like that, my family was gone. And they were never coming back.

All the pent-up emotion I had been so desperately hiding since the whole ordeal yesterday surged up on me, all at once, and a loud sob escaped before I could stop it. Oh, gosh, I was _crying_. I don't know how long it'd been since I cried like that, or, heck, cried _period_. It's just not something I was known to do. But, I was doing it now, and at the moment, I didn't care if it was normal Iggy behavior or not. I just wanted to get as far away as possible.

I ran out the door, stumbling over something in the overgrown grass, and I scrambled back to my feet, racing to nowhere in particular. I just had to get away from it, from everything; the pain was all too much. Of course, I was running blindly, and I had no way of knowing where the heck I was going. It wasn't long before I slammed dead into a tree, and fell back into the grass, my head pounding where it had hit the trunk. Yeah, that hurt _a lot_. I grit my teeth and placed a tentative hand on the bruise already forming on my forehead, taking in a sharp breath as it throbbed with pain under the touch. I was so distracted by my tree-inflicted pain, that it wasn't until the pounding in my head died down somewhat that I realized I was still crying. And _why_ I was crying… A sudden, terrible idea hit me, simultaneous with the realization that I could be distracted by this worse pain by something so much easier to deal with. I realized that _I wanted more_…

Back in The School, I remember there was this guy, about the age that I was now. He was in the cage next to mine for a couple weeks, before they took him away, and I never saw him again. I had been about six then, so it was before the operation that stole my eyesight. I remember, a few days before they came for him, I noticed scars running up and down his arms, from his elbows to his wrists. I asked him if the whitecoats had done it, or if it was one of the Erasers just looking for a fight. He answered saying, "None of them. I made these myself." Now I was really curious. "What would you want to do that for?" I asked. He just looked at me for a long time, something like pity in his serious eyes. He said, "It makes me feel better. This pain distracts me from all the fear, and the frustration that I get from this place. A quick, clean cut on my arm is so much easier to deal with than having to feel the other kinds of pain – the kinds that won't heal."

Now, the switchblade in my pocket was starting to feel more and more friendly.

What would it matter? I had nothing to lose – it's not like my family would be around to care if I had scars on my arms. And, at this point, I was desperate for any solution.

I pulled the knife out of my pocket, turning it over in my hands a couple times, before fingering the latch that would make the blade spring out, which I knew was wicked sharp. I could remember when Jeb gave me that knife – it had been my eleventh self-appointed Birthday, and it was the very first gift I had ever received. And now, it would give me the gift of a few precious, forgetful moments of bearable pain. Happy Birthday to me.

Popping the blade out, I took my wrist and slid over it with my thumb, flexing my fingers and finding exactly where the major vein was. As much as I still wanted to die, maybe this would make life bearable, so I could stick around incase The Flock _did_ decide to come back. So, I positioned the knife away from the vein, and made a long cut down from my wrist to my elbow.

I could feel blood immediately begin trickling out, and I nearly let out a sigh of relief at how much _better_ it felt. Not only did it distract me, but it was like all my sadness and frustration flowed out with the blood, and for the moment I was left feeling only the pain of the small wound on my arm. It was such a satisfying release, that I went ahead and made another, slightly smaller cut beside it.

Ah. That was much better.

**How did you like that? Okay, some of you will probably want to attack me with flames, because you think cutting is so wrong. Well, I will tell you that I don't cut, and I don't think I know anyone personally who does, but I'm not ignorant. People do this because they're depressed, and self-injury makes them **_**feel better**_**. I'm not about to judge anyone who's found a way to cope. But, self-injurers, if it would help you to find someone to talk to that you can trust instead of harming yourself, that's probably a better idea. **

**Anyway, review. Tell me what you thought, give me a suggestion, ect. BTW, a Fang POV is probably up next. Thanks! :)**


	10. Long Sleeves

**Hello, faithful readers, it's pandorad24, here with chapter 10! WHOOT! DOUBLE DIGITS! Yeah, the chapter name is kind of weird, and was going to be called "Hiding", but I think this is more original. So, here's some guilty Fang, then Iggy again. Enjoy my boys!**

**DISCLAIMER: This thing is stupid, but I do not own Maximum Ride. You would know that if you read the last NINE CHAPTERS. Jeez.**

_~ Chapter 10 – Long Sleeves ~_

As I flew away from the little house for the second time that day, I kept playing the same image over in my head, the picture that wouldn't leave me alone: Iggy, right before we left. His face was heartbreaking; it was as if we were leaving him forever. Was that what he thought? Oh, jeez. Why did the world have to need saving _right now?_ Then again, would I have been able to stick around and watch Iggy suffer anyway? I couldn't help but feel like I would have left regardless.

As the forest rushed past beneath us, Max swerved closer to me and hissed in my ear, "You should have said goodbye."

I felt a pang of guilt, remembering how disappointed Iggy looked when I said nothing before leaving. I was his _best friend,_ who refused to even say goodbye. "I could barely look in his direction, much less talk to him," I said back to Max. It was true; I was just so tortured by guilt. But, looking back, I wish I had gone up and hugged him like everyone else_. That look on his face_…

Max shook her head. "Whatever, Fang."

We flew in silence after that, and I tried not to dwell on the horrible guilt that was eating me, and instead just watched the ground below, as the green trees and forest gave way to forgotten little small towns, and then to big metropolises. With my raptor vision, I could see all the people going about their business in sharp clarity, watch as they bustled around with their briefcases and backpacks, just going through the motions of normal everyday life. I couldn't help but wonder what that felt like, to be normal. Pretty boring, probably.

But anything was better than this.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"Give me the remote!"

"No, I'm telling you it's my turn!"

"Guys, be quiet! I'm trying to read."

I sat on the floor in the living room, listening to Ash and Axel fight over the one remote to the game that all the Pack boys were taking turns playing. Amber was sitting curled up in the old recliner by the window, reading some book, and apparently getting annoyed over all the noise. The boys ignored her, and by the ruckus they were making, I suspected they had gotten into a wrestling match on the floor. I wisely scooted back against the wall when they came tumbling my way, and I heard a tinkling crash, as they must've knocked something of the shelf that was beside the TV.

"Hey!" Amber shouted, stressed-out and annoyed.

"All right guys, knock it off," Aaron said, "I think you're driving Amber crazy." The two boys grumbled but decided that it was Ash's turn, and he played in silent concentration as the rest shouted tips at him.

"Use the sword!"

"No, the _other_ sword, nim-rod."

"Jump! JUMP! …Oh, _nice_ one, kid. You lost nearly half your lives with that little stunt."

"…Yes! Comeback! Take that, you slimy alien scum!"

I leaned back against the wall, listening to them play the game. Since I had cut in the forest, I had been feeling much better, and had been able to get through the rest of the day all right. I even smiled a little. I had made an excuse to change into a long-sleeved shirt, to hide the cuts, which were nearly scars by now; both Aaron and Aro were both shorter than me, though, so I had to borrow a shirt of Axel's. I liked to believe that I wasn't completely skin-and-bone, and had a decent amount muscle, but Axel was _huge_. The sleeve kept slipping off one shoulder, and I constantly had to pull it up, while making sure the rest of the sleeve didn't ride up and reveal my scars. My new coping mechanism was certainly making things complicated for me; complicated, but so much easier than dealing with my raging emotions head-on.

I heard Amber get up from her chair, and was a little surprised when she came to sit by me on the floor. I scooted to the side to make room for her, and I heard her pull her knees up closer to her as she sat down. She made a sort of disapproving noise in her throat, as the boys started shouting louder, cheering for Ash. "They must be killing your ears," she said, and I turned to 'look' at her in confusion. "Fang told us your hearing is really good," she continued sheepishly. "He said you could even fight pretty well."

The emotions that had stayed relatively quiet since that morning swelled up again at the mention of my best friend, but I fought it with a forced smile. "Yeah, I guess," I said.

Axel had been quiet for a bit, apparently listening to conversation, because he asked, "Like, Erasers and stuff? You're telling me that you can hold your own against those dog-freaks?"

I nodded slowly. _Most of the time_…

Axel paused. "Well, what about fighting me?" He said, barely-concealed excitement in his voice.

"Axel," Aaron said sharply, "He's not exactly in the best condition to –"

"No, I want to do it," I said, getting up from my seat on the floor, suddenly anxious for some action.

"Excellent," Axel said, and I could hear the challenging grin in his voice.

"Guys, I don't think that this is the best idea…" Amber said, but Axel and I were already out the door, heading for the little hill a short distance from the house. My adrenaline was already pumping up, and my fists clenched and un-clenched in exited anticipation. Of course, this fight was just for fun, but it felt so good to finally be _doing something, _something I didn't need wings for. I could tell Axel was just as hyped for a good fight, and we stopped once we reached the hill, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Be careful," Amber called nervously from the house, just as Axel lunged at me. Anticipating his first swing, I shot up my hand to catch his fist before it could even come close to reaching me, and pulled it toward me, stepping out of the way as the forward-momentum caused him to stumble partway down the hill. I think he was surprised that I could stop him at all, and he was more careful as he made his way back up the hill and towards me. He shot out a kick aimed for my side, which I ducked around easily, and planted a kick of my own on his chest, soft enough not to leave a bruise, but hard enough that he stumbled backward, landing on his butt in the grass. I was grinning by now, as Aaron, Ash and Aro cheered from the house.

Axel, never one to give up so easily, shot back up to his feet, and made a swipe at my head. I stepped back and he missed, but his fist accidentally caught my throat instead, and I went down hard, tumbling down the hill a ways before rolling to a stop. "Crap!" Axel said, running up to me as I stumbled unsteadily to my feet, clutching my neck and gasping for breath. "Oh crap, Iggy, I'm sorry." He said apologetically. "Are you okay? …Oh, what happened to your arm?"

"What?" I said, my voice raspy and breathless from the hard punch to my windpipe. He hadn't hit my arm…

I felt myself go pale as I realized that my sleeve had ridden up during my tumble down the hill, and that my scars were clearly visible.

"Um…" Quick! C'mon Iggy, hurry up and say something! "Well, I expect yesterday didn't leave me looking too great." I said, and nearly sighed with relief. Perfect.

"Oh, right," Axel mumbled, and I could tell he was embarrassed. "You okay?"

"Fine," I said, wincing, and lowering my hand from my throat. I'd had much worse.

**For some reason, I just don't feel satisfied with this chapter. Please tell me what you thought about it, I just kind of threw it together for the sake of the quick update. Maybe I should shoot for a less insane post date. Maybe every other day? …I don't know. If you guys didn't like it, I'll take a little longer next time. Thanks!**


	11. Bleeding

**Hola! Yeah, it's pandorad24. Listen, about the last chapter – I figured out why I wasn't too satisfied with it. For one, it was a filler chapter. Every story has a few, and they're necessary to keep the story rolling into the more exiting parts. Which are coming, by the way. There's a lot more to the plot than The Flock leaving and Iggy being cooped up in a house all depressed. Another problem is that I excel in the descriptive parts of the story, versus the more actiony stuff. And the last chapter was mostly Iggy POV, so… It would obviously be lacking in that area. Also, because Iggy's all depressed, there really wasn't any Iggy-snarkyness. Sigh. I miss that Iggy sarcasm, but it'll be back, all in due time.**

**Anyway, all that added up to a less-than-satisfying chapter. Don't worry; I think that there will only be a couple more filler chapters, if that, and then we'll get down to the exiting stuff. So, here's chappie eleven!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. But I do own a package of Kit-Kats… Gosh, I love those things.**

_~ Chapter 11 – Bleeding ~_

"Maaax, I'm _hungry_…"

Sigh. "I know, Nudge. We're coming up on a McDonalds now."

I swear, keeping these few kids fed is like trying to feed the country. Where they ever _not_ hungry? We made a dive for the restaurant, and landed discretely in the dark parking lot. Tucking our wings carefully away, we headed inside and waited in line at the register. I decided to get our usual.

"Excuse me?" I said to the cashier when it was our turn to order. "I need eight angus deluxe burgers, four Big Macs, six quarter-pounders with cheese, a dozen extra-large fries, eleven chocolate frosties, and six large cokes."

Ah, I love that look I always get from the cashiers. It gives life as an avian-hybrid _purpose_.

I paid for the greasy feast with my trusty Max card, and found a cozy, secluded booth for the five of us, since eating on the go would prove to be a little difficult for us. We settled down and divided up the food, everyone eating like a pack of crazed wolves. It didn't take long for all of us to finish, but there was still a large pile of food on the table. What the…

Oh. I had ordered our usual, and since Iggy wasn't there…

Fang had noticed the leftovers, too. And he looked miserable. Muttering something like "I need some air," he got up from his seat at the booth and walked into the night outside, with his hands in his pockets and his head down. Sighing, I excused myself also, and followed him out into the quiet parking lot. He was sitting on the curb just outside, and I sat down beside him, looking at his face expectantly. He shook his head to himself.

"It's like he's not even a part of the family anymore," he said quietly, looking down at the asphalt.

I was shocked. "What?" I said. "Of course Iggy's a part of the family, Fang." I couldn't believe he would even say something like that.

"Really, Max?" He said frustratedly. "We _ditched_ him there, to live with strangers. If we were really thinking of him like family, we would've taken him somewhere safe, and just… _Stayed_. Just stayed there until all this passed."

"Look, Fang, we're coming back, and -"

"And what?" He hissed, sounding more miserable than angry. "And hang out with him until another emergency comes up?" He leaned closer to me, and I saw the tortured guilt and unshed tears pooling in his normally expressionless eyes. "Nothing's ever going to change, Max. There'll be another disaster, another reason for leaving him, and another, and another, and it'll go on like that until he can't take it anymore. He's never getting his wings back. And he'll never be the same. Every time we leave, he'll just see it as us ditching him, because that's exactly what we're doing. Then we come back, hang around for a bit, and take off the minute another crisis comes up. And we'll just leave him there, like, like… Like the family pet. That's not a family, Max. That's a long-distance friendship."

As every one of his words sank in, it hit my heart with the painful realization that he was telling the truth. Oh, gosh. What had I _done_ to my brother?

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I wasn't having a great night.

I had cut again. Seven times, short ones lined up on my thigh. I figured it would be easier to hide than the ones my arm. I just kept slicing at my leg, when it didn't get better. The pain.

It was late; I guessed nearly two in the morning. I was back in that tiny room, which was now occupied by an air mattress on the floor, and I was sitting huddled in the corner, shaking with silent sobs. I couldn't believe I was breaking down again, after years of being strong and in-control, but the pain just wouldn't let me go. This was worse than when they first left – now, it had all had time to sink in. I had no family, because they had all left me. The one thing I needed most right now, someone to talk to, to trust, had abandoned me, left me here to suffer alone. I just wanted to scream, I needed someone to hear me, to see me here, crying and bleeding and falling apart on the floor. I needed someone to grip my shoulder, and tell me it would be okay.

But I was alone. All alone.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

_I open my eyes, I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light_

_I can't remember how, I can't remember why I'm lying here tonight_

_And I can't stand the pain _

_And I can't make it go away_

_No, I can't stand the pain…_

_How could this happen to me?_

_I've made my mistakes_

_Got nowhere to run_

_The night goes on as I'm fading away_

_I'm sick of this life_

_I just want to scream…_

_How could this happen to me?_

_Everybody's screaming, I try to make a sound but no one hears me_

_I'm slipping off the edge_

_I'm hanging by a thread_

_I want to start this over again_

_So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered_

_And I can't explain what happened_

_And I can't erase the things that I've done, no I can't…_

_How could this happen to me?_

_I've made my mistakes_

_Got nowhere to run_

_The night goes on as I'm fading away_

_I'm sick of this life_

_I just want to scream…_

_How could this happen to me?_

_I've made my mistakes_

_Got nowhere to run_

_The night goes on as I'm fading away_

_I'm sick of this life_

_I just want to scream…_

_How could this happen to me?_

**Wow. Okay, to explain the thing above – that is NOT a poem that I wrote. I do not own it in any way, except that it is a song I bought and downloaded onto my iPod. It's called "Untitled", by Simple Plan, and I was listening to it randomly as I wrote the Iggy POV, and I realized how perfectly the two went together. I know, totally impulsive, but I think a random spout of beautiful lyrics at the right time do wonders for any story. Hopefully I got a few tears out of you with that?…**

**Anyway, I totally winged that chapter, and it turned out mighty fine, if I say so myself. See, I made the filler chappie entertaining and not a waste of your time! …Hopefully.**

**Please, review! I've noticed a few of you just subscribing to my story without leaving a comment. THAT'S JUST PLAIN MEAN. What, you have time to read my fic, but not to write a few simple words of appreciation? I give up a lot of time for you guys, you know. :)**


	12. Letter

**Konnichiwa! Yeah, it's pandorad24, and that was the Japanese word for "hello", incase you didn't know. Now you do. Anyway, here's chapter 12, and we're starting to get into the plot again! Hoorah, and stuff. Thought you've seen the last of Ari? Well, let's just say he's going to help us out with the plot a little here… By the way, just so there's no confusion, the section right after Iggy's POV is from Aaron's perspective. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. BUT I OWN YOU! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

_~ Chapter 12 – Letter ~_

"Iggy, are you okay?"

I sat at the table, picking at my eggs with my fork, and I felt Amber place her hand on my arm in concern. I winced, as she touched the new cut hidden by my long sleeve, and she quickly drew her hand away. "Sorry," she mumbled, probably thinking it was pain left over from the night before last. I just nodded, taking another bite of my breakfast, but I barely tasted it.

I hadn't felt much better waking up than I had the night before. I had made yet another cut, on my arm again this time. It had helped for about five minutes, but once the pain died, the relief didn't last. I was back at square one, and I couldn't stand it.

What would I normally do when I felt like this? Fly away, just spread my wings and escape. Now that option was gone, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I was completely lost. I just wanted to scream with frustration, why did this have to be so hard? Why couldn't things be the way they were before, why did everyone leave me, when I needed them most? Why, why_, why? _Did I always have to be left in the dark? I needed answers! Why was I always left behind? _Why did this happen to me?_

I pushed my chair back from the table and got up quickly, practically running out the door. I had to get away. Again. I had needed to get far, far away; I just had to escape this pain! It was more than I could stand.

I ran into the forest, holding out my hands to keep from crashing into trees. I eventually stumbled over something on the rugged ground, and I fell to my knees. Tears were running freely down my face again, it was like I was constantly having to hold them back now, and I broke down whenever I was alone.

Alone. I had no Flock. No family. They all ditched me. I was going to be alone for the rest of my life.

I let out a scream, and it rang through the forest, making a few birds fly away in fear. I heard their feathers and wings fluttering away, and I was suddenly jealous of the little creatures. They were just little birds, that never felt the human pain that I did, every single day now. Yet, they were the ones with wings. _They_ could escape when they wanted. I was stuck here on the ground, to deal with it all on my own.

Another wave of tears flowed out, as I bent my head down into the dirt, wishing now more than anything for just one thing. I wanted my wings back.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I watched Iggy from the window as he ran from the house, sticking his arms out in front of him when he reached the woods, feeling his way blindly through the trees. I sighed, when he disappeared from sight. Poor guy. I knew he had to be hurting now, with his wings gone, his _family_ gone. I thought I'd heard him crying last night, but I could've just imagined it. I was worried about him, after all. I had promised Max that we'd take good care of him.

I was just about to turn away from the window, when I heard a scream from outside. _Iggy…_

I rushed over to the door, but I heard another scream, from inside the house. _What the heck?_ I'd heard it coming from Ash's room, and I raced down the hall_. Not Ash, please be okay, _"Ash?" I yelled, throwing open his door at the end of the hall.

"Hello, Aaron," said a cold voice, and I felt my heart attempt to leap out of my chest. There was an Eraser in Ash's room, holding my terrified little brother off the floor by his neck.

"Gahhhh!" I snarled, leaping at the Eraser, but something grabbed me from behind, holding me back and pinning my arms to my side. I struggled, and nearly slipped free, but two other Erasers came at me on both sides, and helped their comrade restrain me, grabbing my arms. "Let him go!" I roared at the Eraser choking Ash, and he grinned wickedly at me.

"Gladly," he said, and let Ash drop to the floor. He scrambled back, but two more Erasers came through the door and grabbed him, too. _How many freaking Erasers had gotten into my house? _

The Eraser came closer to me, and I wanted to rip that stupid smirk off his face as he said, "My squad should have subdued the rest of your family by now." Sure enough, I heard a scuffle in the hall behind me, and Axel's furious roar as they tried to hold him back, six of them taking him on at once. I heard several dull _thuds,_ and Axel was silent.

"What do you want?" I hissed, and his wolfy grin grew wider.

"We came to finish what we started." It was then that I recognized him as one of the Erasers from the cave, the big one holding tiny little Angel back from her messed-up brother on the floor. My eyes widened in horror. They were here for _Iggy._

"Leave Iggy alone!" I shouted. "Haven't you done enough?"

The Eraser let out a cruel, barking laugh, and he punched me in the gut. _Oof._

"Boss's orders, kid," he said, as I gasped for breath. "He left us some very specific instructions to keep you freaks in check, while one of our squad leaves a little something for the blind birdie."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari watched the other mutant from behind a tree. It was pointless to hide, he knew. It's not like the little freak would see him anyways. He watched Iggy stumble and fall to his knees, tears rolling down his pale face, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. He suddenly let out a loud scream, and Ari flinched. He sounded like he was really in pain.

He waited there for hours, watching the oblivious mutant with interest. He watched as Iggy pulled a knife from his pocket and sliced his own arm open, one, two, three times. He heard as his sobs and screams became louder and more frequent, muffled against the ground. As much as he disliked Travis, he was grateful to him for taking care of the other mutants, so he could be uninterrupted while he did his job. Surely Iggy's screams could be heard from the house.

Eventually it became dark, and Iggy's sobs gradually quieted. The little freak was asleep. Show time.

Ari quietly stepped out from behind the tree, and approached the sleeping figure on the ground. He looked down at Iggy for a moment, before reaching into his coat, and pulling out the envelope that would send the desperate mutant right into his new boss's grasp. He chuckled softly, and placed the envelope on the ground by Iggy's head. The embossed letters on the front read _Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen – Limb Regeneration and Stem Cell Research._

**Am I good, or am I good? How many of you were expecting Doctor Psycho? If you haven't read FANG, you'll have no idea who I'm talking about, but you can continue to read even if you haven't, there won't really be any spoilers. By the way, if you're wondering how the heck Iggy's going to read the letter, the words are all embossed, so no worries. :)**

**Review? They make my world go round! **


	13. Decision

**Hey, it's pandorad24, and I LOVE THE FRAY. I'm sorry, I know I've brought that up before, but they are my muse. "Say When" is one of my favorites, I'm writing to it now. I definitely recommend writing to music; it helps the words to be more poetic and such. ANYWAY, here's chappie 13! A look into The Flock first, then The Pack, and finally Iggy. Should be a good one.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride, Iggy, or The Fray. Sigh. The few things I love most…**

_~ Chapter 13 – Decision ~ _

I was sitting on the floor of an old abandoned warehouse near Vancouver, my Flock sleeping around me. The kids were tired of sleeping in trees after the last few weeks, so we decided on the dirty concrete floor of a dark, cavernous building that smelled suspiciously of mold and mildew instead. I didn't see the logic in that, but it did look like it would rain earlier, so this was probably the better option.

I shifted my crouch on the hard floor to a slightly more comfortable position, and continued to sweep the beam of my flashlight around the giant hanger-like room. I had offered first watch, as usual. And, as usual, I was excruciatingly _bored_. My thoughts wondered to what had been eating at my mind the most lately, to what Fang had said in the McDonalds parking lot the night before. His words swam through my head, each one a hammer of guilt on my heart. _Like the family pet. That's not a family, Max. That's a long-distance friendship. It's like he's not even a part of the family anymore…_

My throat closed up tightly, but I shoved the tears away. It was stupid to cry, we had a job to do. And we were here, Vancouver only miles away. Looking down at my family breathing softly around me, their faces smoothed out and calm the way they only were in sleep, I was suddenly grateful to have most of them with me.

But we weren't all together, not like we should be. Not all six. Us, The Flock, was all six. We were short one. One Flock member, one brother, one voice and one sarcastic joke. Short one Iggy.

Wearily sweeping my flashlight across the room one last time before waking Fang for his watch, I was startled when I saw an Eraser snout grinning at me just feet away. "Hello, Max," it said in a gravelly voice.

"Hey, mangy-face," I replied with a snarl. It bared its yellow fangs at me, and I shot to my feet, as seven more pairs of glowing wolf eyes appeared in the flashlight's glare behind him. Show time.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

_Note to self_, I thought, as I sat tied-up and soaking wet on the floor of my own house, _the next time an Eraser gives you some water to drink, don't hand it back and ask for a Dr. Pepper. _As you can probably figure, the jerk had grinned at me and poured the entire glass onto my head. Though being a half-cat has its upsides, we cannot stand water. Seriously, I'm fifteen, and I act like an eight-year-old when it's time for a shower. This was torture. Wet, wet torture. Oh, gosh. My bra was _soaked_.

Looking over at my twin, I saw that he was smirking at my obvious discomfort, so I gave him my best "_what're you looking at?"_ glare, and he backed off. Smart boy. I then caught the eye of my boyfriend, and I felt instantly even more P. at those mangy mutts. Axel had been defending me, not like I needed it, and the Erasers had pounded him into submission. There was now an ugly purple bruise over his left eye, and blood running down from his nose and the corners of his mouth. Those jerks. How could they hit a gorgeous face like that?

Axel noticed me looking, and he grinned weakly at me. "Messed my face up pretty bad, huh?"

"You're still hot to me, babe," I said, and he laughed.

"Shut up," the biggest Eraser, Travis, said with disgust. We were quiet then, but Axel continued to look at me. I met his eyes, and he made a face. Travis was standing right there with his back to us, so I bit my lip and tried not to crack up. When I felt confident that I wouldn't laugh, I made the most ridiculous face I could back at Axel. He snickered quietly, and twisted up his face to imitate the demented grin of Travis.

Now everyone was holding in laughter, even Aaron, who I think was pretty upset about the whole Iggy-alone-in-the-woods-with-an-Eraser thing. Yeah, poor blind guy. I could tell he was pretty traumatized after the horrific cave incident, and not to mention missing his family. I thought it was pretty harsh to just leave him, but hey, they knew him best.

There was a noise in the hall, like a window being pulled open and shut, and another, more awkward-looking Eraser joined us in the living room_. Hey, the more the merrier,_ I thought_. C'mon, mutt, join the party!_ I'd sure like to pin a tail up his –

"Well? Did you leave it?" Travis asked the newcomer impatiently.

The other Eraser huffed, and said, "Of course I left it. The little freak will be in Dr. Gunther's grasp soon enough."

Aaron snarled softly, and the Eraser turned to him and grinned wickedly, baring yellowed fangs. "You got a problem with that, kitty-boy?"

Aaron sneered. "Wow. Kitty-boy, is that all you got?"

"That's the kinder option, yes," the mutt said, narrowing his eyes.

"You'll never get away with this," Aaron spat, looking at the Eraser furiously. The mutt snorted with laughter.

"Are you threatening me, runty freak?" He said. "Trust me, your desperate little friend will walk right into my boss's trap. And then the _real_ fun begins."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

When I woke up, my head was pounding and I still felt exhausted. I could feel the dried snot and tears on my face from yesterday, and the crusted blood on my now healed arm. I was so pathetic. I had just broken down and sobbed over my lost wings for the entire day, cutting myself three times. I would have done it more, except that it didn't help. The pain was still there.

I pushed myself into a sitting position, and my hand found something on the ground. What the…? It was _paper_. An envelope. On the ground, in the middle of a forest. It hadn't been there yesterday… Okay, now I was officially creeped-out. Someone had left this there, while I was sleeping. Okay…

I turned it over, and felt embossed letters on the front. _Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen – Limb-Regeneration and stem Cell Research. Limb-regeneration…_

My heart began to race, and I ripped open the envelope with eager, shaking hands. Could this be the answer? All the letters inside were embossed also, and I read and re-read the whole thing several times, my ecstatically happy grin threatening to crack my face in half_. It couldn't be true_…

_Dear Igneous_,

_I am Doctor Hans Gunther-Hagen, top researcher and practicer of limb-regeneration in the world. I have heard of your plight and unfortunate circumstances, and have decided to help you recover your wings using a new and very successful technology I have developed, called LRS (limb regrowthing serum). I will require no payment in return for the procedure, and only wish for you to return to your family, and defend our world against the cunning of Itex Industries. Yes, I am very much aware of the threat Itex poses on our society, and have dedicated my work to aid in their destruction. If you do agree to allow me to help you, be at the airfield nearest your location at 4 p.m. on November the twenty-first, where there will be a private plane assigned to take you to my head lab on the small island off of Bremerhaven, Germany. I do hope you consider my offer, Igneous. _

_Warmest regards, Doctor Gunther-Hagen_

I was shocked, just giddy with unbelieving happiness. There was no way this could be happening; it was too good to be true! My _wings_… I could be getting my wings back!

There was a nagging voice in the corner of my mind, the one that told me it had to be a trap, but I was beyond listening. This was some kind of miracle; _I was getting my wings back!_

Ultimately, there was no decision; if this guy said he was going to offer me my lost _wings_, then of course I was going to agree. I mean, what other choice did I have? Sure, it could be a trap, but it's not like things could get any worse. If it wasn't a joke, then I would have my wings, and I wouldn't have to feel this pain anymore. I could be with my family again.

Standing up, I carefully folded the letter and put it in my pocket, along with the plane ticket I found inside the envelope. Today was the twenty-first. I had no time to lose.

**Whew. That chapter was **_**exhausting**_** – that stupid letter just drained all the creativity out of me. I feel like a juiced orange. Sigh. Please review. **

**P.S. Oh, and fangfan1, see? I used the "us is all six" quote! You're right, I totally forgot about that. I haven't read the actual books in a while…**


	14. The Doctor

**Yo peoples, it's pandorad24! So, update on The Flock, Iggy meeting Dr. Scary, and you'll get to see what happened to The Pack. So exiting! And sorry for the day-late update, but you were lucky to even get one ANY day after usual. We had a little Labor Day drama. So, here we were, cruising along the river on our little boat (as is Labor Day tradition), when we see this NASTY storm wall up ahead. I'm talking heavy rain, thunder, lightning, the whole jazz. It was like this huge, purplish-gray wall – you couldn't see anything past it. And there was no other way back to the dock our car was parked at, except to go right through it. Now, this river is VERY wide, like, if you were in the middle going down it, there'd be about a mile on either side. So, it was like we were on the ocean, complete with waves, making our little boat bounce around like crazy, with stinging rain drops pelting on our faces and insanely strong wind threatening to bowl us over. And, of course I had to be in the very front – at least my parents had a dinky windshield protecting their faces. My awesome aviator-sunglasses were temporarily converted into goggles, it was raining so hard. Now, I'm not going to throw a bunch of religion on you, but I was seriously thinking we might die, what with the lighting and such, and I was praying in my head like crazy. It was terrifying.**

**SO, though everyone obviously made it out alive, I just wanted you to know that you could have lost your author. I hope that would have made someone sad. :'( **

**DISCLAIMER: be grateful I don't own Maximum Ride.**

_~ Chapter 14 – The Doctor ~_

"I wasn't expecting much from Canada, but I was hoping for at least a better welcome than this."

We had finished off the Erasers that had ambushed our warehouse, and Fang was handing me bandages to pack on Nudge's arm. One of the wolf-mutants had swiped at her, and there were deep gashes where the claws had torn away at her bicep. It still wouldn't stop bleeding.

"I just can't wait to _find _this place," I said, packing another wad of gauze from the backpack onto Nudge's arm, and pressing down hard on it in an attempt to stop the blood flow. "The sooner we steal those files, the sooner we figure out what we _really _came here to do, and the sooner we get back to Iggy." Fang nodded, and handed me some duct-tape to hold the gauze in place. I wrapped it around Nudge's arm, and looked at her. "Are you going to be okay?" I asked. She winced a little, but nodded. That's my girl.

We decided it wasn't safe to rest there any more for the night, so we took-off in search of the Itex branch we were supposed to break-into and take files from.

_Forty-two miles west, Maximum_, The Voice echoed through my brain. Ah yes, my Voice. What, you don't have one? I was thankful for some useful advice from it for once, and I lead The Flock onto the right course. Soon, a plain white building fenced-in with chain link and barbed wire was visible below us. An uncomfortable feeling of dread and familiarity rose in my throat, and I thought, _not so far from home, after all_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Stepping into the house, I heard… Absolutely nothing. There was no one talking, laughing, arguing – no signs of life at all. It was cold inside, so the thermostat wasn't even turned on. It's like the place was abandoned.

I felt a prickle on the back of my neck; this didn't feel right. "Um, guys?" I called, hearing my words echo through the empty house. No answer.

I walked through the whole house, checking every room, but there were no mutants occupying any of them. I was really starting to get freaked-out, so I raced back out into the yard, calling their names for twenty minutes. It was hopeless.

So. Were they captured? Oh, gosh. I know I couldn't have done a thing to help them, but I felt so guilty that I wasn't there… Ugh, what was wrong with life? Why couldn't it be easy on us for _once? _I was so frustrated, I could just scream.

Okay. I had originally planned for someone from The Pack to _drive_ me to the airfield, but they were probably tied-up in a helicopter being transported to a School somewhere, so that was out. Jeez, I felt so bad for them. All they did was help us, and now they were headed back to their worst nightmare. And there was nothing I could do about it.

So, what was I supposed to do? _Walk _to the airfield? Yeah, because I knew exactly where that was. _Not_.

Suddenly, I heard something creep up the gravel driveway. A car door opened and slammed shut, and there was someone walking towards me. My first instinct was to run, but what would be the point? If it was someone that wanted to hurt me, whoever it was would have no trouble catching up to a blind bird kid that couldn't fly. And if it was someone harmless… Maybe I could hitch a ride.

"Hello? Are you Igneous?" A male voice called, and I nodded cautiously. "I've been assigned to give you a ride to the airfield," he said.

Well. Wasn't that nice. Of course, it could be a trap, but I had to take it. I had nothing to lose.

I joined the guy in the driveway, and he led me to the passenger seat of the SUV. The entire drive was held in silence, and after about forty-five minutes, we came to a stop. "Here we are," the driver said dully, and I stepped out onto pavement. Someone came to lead me onto the plane they had for me, and I was miles above the ground within minutes.

I couldn't believe this was happening, could it really be this easy to have my wings again? Just yesterday I was sobbing over them, and now I was on a plane about to get them back. Insane.

The plane ride was quiet and uneventful, and I was just dozing off when someone came to inform me that we would be landing soon. He made me buckle my seatbelt, and after an unsteady descent, we touched down smoothly onto the runway. I wondered vaguely if Dr. Gunther- whatever would be meeting me there as I stepped out of the plane, and proceeded to trip down the steps and face-plant on the runway pavement. Yeah_, that_ hurt. So I was rubbing my nose where it had hit the asphalt, when I was aware of a car pulling up and someone getting out, again, offering me a ride. I got in and he drove off, and we sat in silence for about twenty minutes. We got to where we were going and he parked somewhere.

I got out and followed him into a building, and I was instantly hit with the smell of antiseptic and floor wax. My stomach jolted violently and the flashbacks started in my head, but I swallowed thickly and shoved it away. This guy was going to help me.

The man led me through endless winding halls, and eventually into a small room. The antiseptic smell was overwhelming here, and I heard the dull buzz of florescent lights above me. I could sense several people in the room with me, and heard one step closer.

"So glad you chose to accept my offer, Igneous," said the man in front of me pleasantly, with a strange sort of British accent. "I am Doctor Gunther-Hagen. Welcome to my lab."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"_Ow!_ Watch those mitts of yours, dog-face, or I swear I'll chew them right off!"

Sounds like Arabel was awake. I groaned, shifting to lay on my side. Gosh, my muscles were sore. Apparently they had kept our wrists and our ankles bound together, and my back was protesting loudly from my position on the floor of the helicopter we were in. We had been riding up here for at least twelve hours, and we had all dozed off at one point or another. We were known to enjoy our catnaps.

"Is anyone going to tell us where we're going?" I asked irritably, and an Eraser scowled.

"The School in Vancouver. Now shut up."

Vancouver? As in Canada? Ugh, we were never going to get back in time to help Iggy. Maybe that was their plan…

"What are you doing to Iggy?" I asked one of the Erasers with a snarl. "Why separate us?"

The Eraser just looked at me with a condescending smirk. "You ask too many questions, kid," he said. "Let's just say that our new boss has something specific planned for the little blind freak. I said he would never do it, but the doctor wouldn't listen…"

"What?" I asked furiously. "Do _what?"_

The Eraser just grinned and looked out the open door of the chopper.

**Okay. That chapter was a little on the short side, and we didn't get too in-depth with the emotions and stuff, but that's good, right? We're getting right down to the action, or at least we will in the next chapter or so. So… Yeah. Review!**


	15. The Serum

**Waz up, readers? As always, I'm pandorad24, and this is your favorite fic! Just kidding, I know there are a lot better ones out there and authors with more talent than me, but a girl can dream, right? Okay, now before we get started here, I have a small favor to ask of you guys. Reading "Asleep", by flYegurl, (read it now, and the sequel/sequels, 'cause they're fnicking AWESOME), I noticed that a fan had taken the time to find a theme song of sorts for her fic. Well, readers, if you know of a song that would work for "With Wings Once Lost", I would REALLY appreciate it if you left the name of the song AND the artist in your review for this chapter. If you find a good one, I will rant on how awesome you are in my little author's note for the next chapter, and I will find a place for the lyrics of the song somewhere in the fic. And, if you can't think of anything, I already have a decent one for it ("Cat and Mouse", by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus). It's a good song, and some of the lyrics work, but a lot of them also DON'T, 'cause it's kind of a love song. So, if anyone has a better suggestion… I'd love to hear it. Thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride. I also don't own the snuggie (the stupidest invention known to mankind), but do you see me crying about it?**

_~ Chapter 15 – The Serum ~_

You can understand that when a guy says, "welcome to my lab" to me, it's pretty much a knee-jerk reaction to want to beat the snot out of him, and run. I mean, I grew up in a lab, lived there in a _cage_ for the first ten years of my life, twice as long as I'd been free. I was subjected to horrible experiments and varying levels of torture, not to mention starvation and exhaustion to the point of nausea. In a lab just like this, I had been stuck with needles and injected with drugs that made me sick in my crate later, I had been beaten and been made _blind_. A place exactly like this one had ruined my life.

Yet, here I was again, in another lab that reeked of antiseptic and blood and fear, of nightmares and tortured souls and scarred lives.

Or maybe that was just me.

"So, I assume that you're eager to get started," Dr. Gunther said, clapping his hands together, and I nodded vigorously. I was terrified of this place, but I was dying for someone to do whatever it was they did to get my wings back. The doctor chuckled softly, and placed a hand on my back, right below the shoulder. I flinched slightly, his cold, gloved hand felt so much like a whitecoat, but I made myself relax. It was okay; he only wanted to help me…

"So am I," he said, guiding me through the room and out another door. "There is no reason for us to delay; I admit that I, too, am very eager to witness the effects of the serum on such an unusual limb. And, of course, to send you back to your family." We walked through even more long, confusing hallways, and my feet were actually starting to get sore by the time we finally reached the place we were looking for, another small lab room like the one we had left.

He led me over to a metal table, and told me to sit down. I did, and he began swabbing my arm with something cold that smelt strongly of chemicals. I swallowed with difficulty; he was going to stick a needle into me. I struggled to not freak-out as he picked something off a counter behind me, and came back around by my arm. I felt the sliver of metal slide under my skin, and was bombarded by flashbacks as it began to pull blood from my veins. I started to feel nauseous and dizzy, but the doctor quickly drew the needle back out. "Forgive me," he said, as he swabbed my arm again and stuck a band-aid over it. "I needed your DNA to construct the serum. Blood works best." I nodded, and he told me to wait there. "The serum will be ready in about two hours," he said. "Then we can start the procedure right away."

While I waited, it was all I could do to not start hyperventilating. Just _being_ in that room was enough to bring the memories flooding back, of being strapped down to a table like this, having needles stuck into me again and again, whitecoats standing around me with clipboards while I vomited up blood due to all the dangerous drugs circulating in my system. Or of being stripped naked and forced to lie on a cold metal table, gloved hands prodding and examining and monitoring me with dozens of different machines. Or, heck, my very worst memory – the day they strapped me down to a table, and proceeded to pierce my pupils with a tiny scalpel. They hadn't used anesthetic. I remembered how the red flooded my vision, and the _pain_… Eventually I passed out, and when I woke up…

Everything had been black. That night still hadn't ended for me.

I was so lost in my dark past that it startled me when the door suddenly opened, and I heard someone walk in. "Come with me," said a dull voice, and I followed the man's footsteps into another, larger room, just down the hall. He had me wait there for the doctor, who walked in after about fifteen minutes.

"The serum is complete, Igneous," he said happily, and I grinned. We were finally going to get started!

A half-hour later I was suspended on an angled upright metal table, shirtless, lying on my stomach with my head turned to the side to breathe. I was shivering slightly with my skin against the cold metal, but I couldn't stop grinning. By the time I got off this thing, I would have wings again.

Dr. Gunther came up behind me, and swabbed my back, right below one shoulder blade. I braced myself for the shot, and the needle went in, sending the serum swimming through my veins.

I heard the doctor exit the room, and though my heart was pounding like crazy, I let myself relax onto the cold metal I was strapped to. All that was left to do now was wait.

At first I didn't feel anything but a little prickle here and there, a brush of heat down my spine. Then it all started with a sudden, jabbing pain in my back, followed by a jolt of something… _pushing_ against my skin… From the inside.

_Oh crap, oh holy freaking crap_, I thought hysterically. This was insane! I didn't know whether to be happy or seriously freaked-out. _Ow_, there it was again, like a horrible growing pain, followed by something pushing against my back from the inside. What was it supposed to do, break right through my skin? It pushed out again, harder this time. _Yes_. The answer was yes. _Oh, holy crap_…

The stabbing pain was becoming more frequent, and my growing wings were desperate to get out. I felt one last powerful jab, and a _wing_ broke right though my skin, splitting one of my long scars open and causing blood to flow down my back again. I tried not to scream, but seconds later the second wing surfaced, tearing open my skin, and an agonized gasp of pain slipped out. Oh, gosh, it hurt so bad. Not like it had when they were sawed messily off, but it was enough to make tears of pain well up threateningly in my eyes.

After they were both through, it was just a matter of enduring the stabbing growth pains in my wings. They felt weird, like they were too small and the feathers were all really fuzzy, and of course they felt like there were Erasers chewing on them as they grew way too fast, but despite the pain I was grinning so big it was threatening to crack my face in half. I had _wings_. Fuzzy, too-small baby wings, but just now I could feel them growing rapidly, bones stretching painfully and some of the downy feathers falling to the floor, being replaced by mature ones. To anyone watching it must have looked horrific, and it didn't feel too peachy either, but it was a miracle to me.

I had wings.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari sat alone in the observation room, watching the older mutant for the second time in two days. Through the glass, his gasp of pain could be faintly heard, as the second tiny, bloody wing broke through the pale skin of his back. Ari winced, and his eyes followed the trails of blood running slowly down from the re-opened wounds. It was so creepy, seeing as the little wings twisted and stretched out, inches here and there, and the downy gray feathers that gave way to glossy white and black ones piercing through.

Iggy's face was off to the side, and Ari could see every time he winced, and his blind eyes registered the pain, but he was also _grinning_ like a maniac. Looks like _someone_ was happy to have his wings back.

Ari suddenly felt angry. Sure, _he_ got to have wings since the day he was born, then he lost them, and people were jumping at the opportunity to give them back. Billions of people, including Ari, wanted to just fly away, but they were given no such opportunity. But when you're a whitecoat's _favorite_…

Ari threw his fist at the glass wall in front of him, leaving a cracked ring where it had landed. His hand felt like he had sprained it, but he ignored it. It was only pain.

Only pain… Was it only pain when his father had left him for a bunch of mutant kids? When he was left alone to be used and tormented, to be made into this _monster? _When he had to watch Max and her merry band of mutants beat him again and again, always be better, always be his father's favorite? Ari was just an object of guilt for Jeb, nothing to be proud of, nothing to _love_. Ari was nothing more than a patchwork monster.

All he had ever wanted was just to make his father _proud _of him for once. He wanted to see love and acceptance in his eyes, not just the constant guilt and regret. He wished that Jeb could see how much this hurt him, how it broke him down inside every time he saw the absence of simple fatherly affection whenever Jeb looked at him. He only ever saw him exhausted and apprehensive at the prospect of confronting his mutated son.

What Ari didn't get was that Jeb _loved_ The Flock, even though they were all mutants. Maybe it was because they were more successful than Ari. But what about the blind one? Even Ari could function better than _him_. So why was Jeb always so patient with him, so willing to help him, even when he shoved Jeb away?

_Well, it's not like I'm any better_, Ari thought, _all I ever do is push him away_. But maybe that was because he kept waiting for Jeb to see it on his own, the damage and the pain Ari so desperately hid, but again and again he was let down_. Why can't you see_? He wanted to scream_. Why do you always ignore what's right in front of you?_

**Well, that chapter was pretty horrific, but I had fun writing it. Is it strange that I write best when the characters are all angsty and suffering deep, painful emotions? I think so.**

**And to InSanityStorm, thanks for the reviews. Did I really make you cry? YES! I know it's awful, but if you cry, than that means I'm doing my job. And really, not EVERYONE will learn from this fic, as much of a good writer as you think I may be. I have a few readers who are extremely talented as well. But thank you! It's nice to have an ego-boost every now and then. :)**

**Please review! Remember my request? If you know a good song, please give me the NAME and the ARTIST. Thanks!**


	16. Rescue

**Hola readers, I be pandorad24, and this be "With Wings Once Lost". Thanks MUCHAS to Moe10, you have found me a theme song! It is "Just Say Yes", by Snow Patrol. I HIGHLY recommend the acoustic version, 'cause there's more feeling in the song, and in my opinion it just sounds better. :) And, not only did Moe find me a theme for this fic, but I now have three new favorite songs that I didn't know existed! "All Around Me", by Flyleaf, "New Morning", by Alpha Rev, and "Stars", by Switchfoot (everyone, that is now officially my theme song). Oh, Moe, you are my hero! I shall scream it from the rooftops! THANK YOU MOE10, FOR YOUR AMAZINGFUL THEME SONG!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride, but neither do you, so I don't feel bad. **

_~ Chapter 16 – Rescue ~_

"You guys ready?" I called up to my Flock, circling in the air above me. I saw Fang nod once, and he led the rest down to the parking lot, past me. They made a scene with some bombs Gazzy found in his pocket, and Erasers piled out at once. So far so good.

While the dogs were distracted, I swooped down onto the roof of the building, and opened up a hatch that led down into the air ducts. I lowered myself into it, ignoring my claustrophobia, and followed Angel's instructions in my mind. _Right, left, left again, and then drop down_. I let myself fall through another hatch, and found myself in a small room full of metal cabinets.

_You're a genius, Angel_, I thought, impressed.

_I know_, she said sweetly back. _It's the cabinet right in front of you_.

Shaking my head, I opened the top drawer of the metal cabinet ahead of me, and fingered through the files_. C'mon, B48GM, B49GN_… Yes! I pulled them out, and opened them up. Just a bunch of gibberish letters and numbers. This had to be the code my mystery e-mailer mentioned.

Closing them up and tucking them carefully away in the backpack, I slipped silently through the door and into a hallway. The sooner I got out of there, the better.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was tossed through the door of a cage, and my back hit the bars with a _clang_. My snarl was lost on the smirking Eraser, and he moved on to the larger crate next to mine, throwing both Aro and Arabel into it. Aro still hadn't woken up, and his twin was looking down at his bloodied face worriedly. The Erasers had beaten him pretty bad, when he asked for food because Ash and Aurora wanted some. I swear, where they _at all_ human?

Once the mutts were finished locking everyone up, they left us alone in the room, and I turned to Arabel. "How is he?" I asked numbly. She had pulled up Aro's shirt, and was feeling for broken ribs, her dark eyebrows furrowed together in anger.

"I think a couple of his ribs are fractured," she said, prodding at his chest gently where two dark bruises had formed. I cursed under my breath, and sat back dejectedly against the bars of my small cage.

How could I have let this happen? I was the leader, the strong one; it was my job to keep this Pack, this _family_ safe, to protect them from whatever comes our way. But I had failed. We were all in cages, awaiting the experiments and torture we never wanted to have to endure again. But I knew that my Pack would take it with a brave face; they were all too strong to show when they were scared.

"What… What do you think they're gonna do to us, Aaron?" Ash said in a quivering voice. Oh, crap. If _Ash_ was scared, then I knew we were in trouble. He was the toughest little kid I knew.

"I don't know, buddy." I said truthfully. He was in a cage with his sisters, and Amber wrapped both kids into a tight hug, stroking Aurora's silvery-blond hair and patting Ash's back comfortingly. I caught Amber's eye, and she smiled sadly.

"We'll be okay, guys," she said quietly. "Who knows – maybe Max and the rest can repay the favor and break us out of here."

"Yeah," I mumbled, "maybe."

Just then, the containment room door opened. Ash and Aurora huddled closer to Amber, and Arabel placed herself in front of Aro's still form, her lips curling up into a soft snarl. I was expecting a whitecoat, but my mouth dropped open when Max the bird kid slipped through sneakily, pushing her tangled hair out of her face impatiently. She didn't seem to have noticed us.

"Max," I hissed, and her head snapped to look at me. Her eyes widened as she saw us all in cages, and she rushed over to my crate. I had moved to the front of my cage in a second, my knuckles white as I gripped the bars tightly, and Max unlatched the door quickly. I slid out of my crate, and we both set to work freeing everyone.

As Axel helped Arabel pull Aro carefully out of their crate, Amber and Max shared a quick hug, and Max asked in a rush what happened. "Erasers ambushed the house," Amber said, squeezing a grinning Ash's shoulder. "They came out of nowhere; no one had time to get away."

Max's forehead creased, and she looked around the containment room at all the empty cages. "Iggy?" She whispered, and Amber clutched Ash's shoulder tighter. "He… He was in the forest when they came. He didn't come in the helicopter with us, but… I heard one of the Erasers say that he would be with their new boss, um, Dr. Gunther."

Max's face visibly paled. "…What?"

"We don't know what happened," I said, my face like ice. "I'm so sorry."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I rushed out of the building with The Pack close behind, and a dark van swung around and screeched to a halt in front of us. I thought it was the whitecoats finally figuring out what was going on, but I caught the eye of Fang in the driver's seat, and the side door slid open. "Get in!" I didn't need to be told twice, and the other mutants and I piled inside. Fang stepped on the gas, and the van swung around dangerously again, before speeding away from the nightmarish building.

"Miss us already?" Fang said, just as he realized that he was in the wrong lane, and he made a death swerve away just in time to keep from crashing into a shiny Mustang.

"Uh, maybe one of us should drive, Fang," Arabel said from the back of the van, her unconscious twin's head in her lap. Fang pulled over onto the side of the road, leaving us leaning steeply halfway into a ditch, and allowed Aaron to climb into the driver's seat.

Once he got us safely onto the road, Fang looked at Amber critically. "Where's Iggy?" He asked, his eyes dark and worried and angry all at once. Amber opened her mouth to answer, but Aaron did for her.

"We don't know."

Fang looked furious. "What do you mean you don't know?" He said, his voice rising dangerously, and Aro stirred in his sleep.

"Fang, calm down," I said, but inside I was horrified. Why would they separate them? Where was Iggy? Was he okay?

"Iggy was upset; He went off into the forest to be alone," Aaron said calmly, but beneath the surface I could sense how angry he was. "I was about to go after him, but Ash screamed, and I found an Eraser in his room, and they quickly overpowered us. We didn't have a chance. They tied us all up and threw us into a helicopter, and they flew us up here. I… I asked them what they did with Iggy, but… They wouldn't tell us." Aaron's eyes were dark, and he ruffled his over-long honey colored hair frustratedly, just making it more tangled than before.

"Aaron… Are you okay?" I asked, and he scowled.

"Just fine," he said, maybe a little more snappily than he had meant to. I frowned, and turned my attention to Nudge.

"Your arm doing okay?" I asked quietly, and she nodded. I patted her shoulder with a sad smile, and looked back at Fang. He was sitting on the floor in the back of the van by Arabel, and he was looking out the window expressionlessly, his calloused hands clenching and un-clenching in his lap.

I sighed quietly, deciding to leave him alone. I'm sure he was really upset about the whole Iggy situation just then, and he probably didn't want to talk to me about it.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

It was all my fault.

They had taken Iggy's wings, had tortured him to no end.

My fault.

Iggy had wanted to die. He couldn't take it anymore; it was impossible for him to be strong. He was giving up.

My fault.

We had to leave, but I could have stayed. I wanted to be close to Max, make sure she would be safe, despite the fact that she can obviously take care of herself. I left Iggy, when he needed someone most. He was all alone.

My fault.

Now he was captured, or hurt, or worse.

_My fault_.

How could this have happened? Didn't I swear to never let anything happen to him again, when I saw him bruised and bleeding and broken on the floor of that cave, barely clinging to life? What about when he broke down in front of me in the Pack house before asking to see Max? It had been so hard to see the tears roll down his face and hear his quiet sobs then, but now it was torture – now that I knew that all his pain was because of _me_. His brother. His best friend, that had left him alone to be captured again.

I could have screamed. He didn't deserve this! But what else could possibly go wrong for him, I didn't know. Heck, he could even be _dead_ right now.

But I'm sure he would like that.

Jeez. This was all my fault.

**There you go, a whole chapter on The Flock and Pack. I know, you probably wanted Iggy, believe me, I do too. But I had to catch up on them, because Iggy got a whole chapter last time, so you'll have to wait for the next update for more Iggy. Oh, the Iggyness of it all! **

**REVIEW! Even if you never have before, don't continue to ignore that little button! Do you **_**know**_** how many different visitors I've had? 416. Do you know how many different people actually **_**reviewed? **_**16 people. That means **_**400**_** of you just didn't review.**

**THAT'S REALLY SAD.**

**So, if you haven't reviewed yet, I ask that you please do so. If you've stuck around for this long, you must like it! Give your author some appreciation. I mean, jeez, people. It 'aint that hard to type a few words. :)**


	17. Turning Point

**Hey, amigos (so much Spanish from me, I'm not even Hispanic! Weird), this is, of course, pandorad24. You get some Iggy now, and Dr. Psycho shall begin to live up to his name… -creepy evil laugh- Poor Igs. By the way, I've had some confusion from you guys about that last POV in chapter 16. Yeah, it was Fang – who else would be wallowing in such self-guilt? Just wanted to clear that up – I'll be more clear from now on. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride, but I sure as heck wish I did. Things would be different, man. I swear, JP himself is such a major Fax-fan, it makes me sick. I mean, maybe it would be okay if he didn't totally ignore Iggy and put him off to the side, because the Faxness must abound, but I digress. JP is just so ignorant of the awesomeness of his own character. :P**

_~ Chapter 17 – Turning Point ~_

"Well? How do you like them?"

I was testing out my new, fully-grown wings, slowly closing and un-folding them again experimentally, a huge grin taking over my face. Dr. Gunther-Hagen was in the room, watching me with prided pleasure at the success. I just couldn't get over it - I had wings! Just like that! I turned my head to face the doctor, beaming. "Thank you!" I said, giggling hysterically. He chuckled.

"Not at all, boy."

"Can I go outside?" I asked excitedly, bouncing on the balls of my feet. "You know, test them out?" I felt his cold hand, so like a whitecoat's, grip my bare shoulder, but I refused the impulse to shudder. I had wings! Nothing would ever be wrong again, everything was perfect, and I just couldn't stop grinning. I had wings! I would be with my family again and go on as if nothing had happened, and just fly off whenever I felt like. My life was back, it was perfect. I couldn't wait to get out and fly!

"Now, hold on a minute there, boy…" Dr. Gunther-Hagen's voice had taken on a strange, hungry tone. "You don't think I can just let you go off just yet."

My face fell slightly, my grin fading. "What? But, my family –"

"You will see them soon enough," he snapped, but then his voice took on a softer tone. "I need to make sure that I trust you with the responsibility, first."

"What?" I said again, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about? What responsibility?"

He took in a deep breath, and I imagined him holding the bridge of his nose. "Do you really not remember?" He said. "_Why_ I performed this great service for you?"

"To… To let me be with my family," I said slowly. What was this guy so stressed about?

"Wrong!" He shouted, startling me, and his grip became painfully tight on my shoulder. He paused, taking another deep breath, and his next words were forcibly calm. "I restored your wings in the hope that you would assist your Flock in the annihilation of Itex industries. Were my hopes in vain? Or will you prove to me that you are worthy of the responsibility?"

My mouth was hanging open, as I fumbled for a response. "I… I…"

"We shall see now, won't we?" His nails were digging into my shoulder, and I heard a door open to my left. I heard the scuffle of little, bare feet, followed closely by the heavy clomping of boots. There was a tiny whimper, and I heard the throaty chuckle of an Eraser.

My heart skipped a beat. What the heck were _Erasers_ doing there? And who was the poor little kid they were pushing around?

"I need you to show me that you can do something, Igneous," the doctor said, stepping behind me and steering me around by my shoulders to face the Eraser and whimpering child in the room. He bent down slightly and whispered in my ear, "Igneous… I need you to kill this child for me."

My eyes widened in horror as my mind processed the words. Was he serious? I could never… I couldn't imagine doing something so disgusting in my life! This guy was crazy! "What? No!" I said, trying to pull away from his grip on my shoulders, but I was still weak from the wing re-growthing process. He leaned in closer and hissed furiously in my ear.

"If you are to defeat Itex, you will have to be prepared to do anything. You cannot allow your emotions to control you! It will mean certain defeat. Trust me, Igneous. Itex will wreak havoc on your emotions – and haven't they already? They are manipulative in every way, and if you let your selfish emotions control you, all is lost. You must do this, Igneous, for the sake of our world –"

"Maybe I don't want to live in our world if you're going to make me murder little kids!" I said, ripping away from his grasp and shoving him backward. I heard him stumble, but he grabbed my shoulder again and slammed my back into a wall, making my still sore, throbbing wings scream in protest.

"You _will_ do it, or you will never see your family again!" He hissed. "If you cannot prove to me that it will be worthwhile to send you out into the world to defeat Itex industries, than you will never leave this building!"

I swallowed with difficulty. That poor little kid, a girl I think, was still beside the Eraser, who was growling with annoyance at her terrified whimpers. How could I ever _kill_ an innocent thing like that? All that I could picture in my head was Angel, her tiny little hand pulling mine, begging me to play with her. No, I couldn't, I wouldn't… Even if it meant never seeing my family again.

Tears of despair began to well up in my eyes, but forced them back down; I couldn't cry in front of this man, he couldn't see me weak. So, with my throat tight and my lower lip quivering dangerously, I shook my head. "No."

Dr. Gunther sighed, and released his painful grip on my shoulder. "Kill it," he said coldly.

At first I thought he was still talking to me, but I heard the Eraser move forward, and the little girl began to shriek with terrified sobs. There was a scrape of metal against plastic as the Eraser pulled some kind of knife from his belt, and a whooshing noise as he sent it swinging through the air.

The little girl was silent.

**Wow. I am so **_**evil**_**. I just killed off a little girl! Ah, so now we're beginning to see the doctor's psycho-murderer side. Lovely. I've been waiting for this for ages! I was going to make the chapter longer with another POV, but I just don't think there's anything I can add to that. Sorry if it wasn't very satisfying – I know you guys like longer chapters. Ah, not to worry, the next one shall be lengthier. :)**

**Review? I'll give you a cookie for your thoughts, 'cause reviews are like the whole pie for me! PANDORAD LOVES REVIEWS!**

**On a totally unrelated subject, I just watched the most hilarious You Tube video. "Llamas With Hats", the second one. I know, it sounds really dumb, but it had me laughing so hard tears came down my face. And I thought I only did that while watching the third Twilight movie in theaters, when Jacob was rolling around on the ground in pain, naked and sobbing… (TELL ME you didn't laugh at that part – or am I the only one with a sick mind?)**


	18. Nightmare

**Hey guys, I'm pandorad24 - but you already knew that. Okay, here's some Flock and Packness first, then a bunch of angsty Iggy. Hehe, I love that. :) By the way, who else loves Secondhand Serenade? Does liking emo music make you emo? A little bit, maybe? Ah, I love "It's Over", "Half Alive" and "Vulnerable". Do I discuss music too much on here? Let me know if it's getting annoying, I just love music nearly as much as writing. :) Mayhaps I should do a short little songfic in-between posts…**

**DISCLAIMER: Pandorad doesn't own Maximum Ride. –sighs-**

_~ Chapter 18 – Nightmare ~_

We were sharing a camp with The Pack in a random forest somewhere in Canada. Arabel had made us some food while we patched up her twin, who woke up in time for the last few roasted hotdogs. We just sat and ate in silence, except for Nudge constantly piping up about something she saw on TV, or any little creature that poked their head curiously through the trees to look at us sitting around in our clearing. I knew she was just trying to distract everyone, she always rambled on when something significantly horrific happened, in an attempt to get our minds off things. I was so used to her voice, though, that everything she said was just white noise, and my mind was drifting elsewhere.

Oh, Iggy. So much had happened to him… Was he even alive now? I couldn't bear the thought of it, but the image came anyway, of a lifeless form on the ground, blood spreading on his shirt, Ari standing over him and laughing… I shivered, and wrapped my arms around myself. No, I had to believe that Iggy was alive; I had to stay strong, for the others.

Speaking of the others… I glanced over our little circle around the fire, noticing for the first time that Fang wasn't with us. My eyes frantically searched the entire clearing, and I was relieved when I saw him sitting by the edge of the trees, mostly concealed by shadow. He was looking at the ground, and his dark bangs hid his eyes. I wondered how he was doing. He hadn't said a word since his little outburst in the van, and he'd looked pretty upset.

With a sigh, I got up from my seat on the grass and walked over to Fang. He didn't look up as I sat down, and didn't seem to acknowledge me in the slightest. I figured he just wanted to be left alone, but I wasn't going to budge. I would make him talk to me, because nobody ever gained anything by keeping their emotions inside. It was time for an intervention.

"Fang, I need to know what's up," I said, drawing my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. "Ever since this thing with Iggy, you've been acting… Not like you."

Without looking at me, he said, "What do you expect me to act like, Max?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But… First you yelled at Iggy, and I find you on your knees in the middle of a forest. You haven't told me what the problem is, and, quite frankly, I'm worried about you Fang. You act like your own worst enemy, and I want to know why."

Fang slowly looked up, and stared long and hard at me through his bangs. His eyes were tortured, like that of a desperate, drowning man. He whispered, "You really want to know why?"

I was a little reluctant now, but I nodded wordlessly. He took a deep breath, and looked back down at the ground. "Because it was all my fault," he said quietly, and his voice was hoarse and pained. "All of it. He never would have left if I hadn't gotten aggravated at him, and look at all that's happened to him, because of that. I could have stayed; I could've helped him get better… But I didn't. I was selfish, and I left. And now he could be dead, for all we know."

I was speechless. Fang really thought this was _his_ fault. "No, Fang… It's not –"

"_Yes it is!"_ He roared suddenly, making me jump and the others turn around to stare at us with frightened, worried expressions. Fang's hands were shaking in anger, and they balled into fists as he stood. "It is all my fault." He said quietly, and his voice cracked at the end. He turned quickly away, and stormed through the trees, not giving camp a glance back.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I bolted upright, hitting the top of my cage with a dull _clang_. I was covered in sweat, and that little girl's terrified screams still rang in my ears from the horribly vivid nightmare I had just woken from. _It was just a dream_…

I rubbed my head tentatively where it had hit the bars, and lowered myself back down onto the cold metal floor of my cramped cage. All around me I could hear the deranged moaning and half-crazed sobs of the other occupants in their identical cages, crying out to no one. Not a single word was spoken, though, because I was pretty sure none of these poor souls even knew _how_ to speak. They had never been taught.

I shuddered, drawing in on myself, as the screaming only grew louder. I was shivering, pressed against the cold metal I was enclosed in. They hadn't even bothered to give my shirt back, when those Erasers had dragged me from the room after the murder of that poor little girl, and before they stuffed me in this cage, Dr. Gunther-Hagen had ordered that I be "disciplined" for my lack of cooperation. The Erasers had chained me by my arms facing a wall, my new wings strapped down tightly against me, and they had whipped my back, just above the wings. It had stung so bad I was tempted to cry out in pain, but I kept my mouth shut, as the whip came down twenty times across my shoulders, leaving ugly, bleeding stripes on my skin. They must be practically healed by now, but the lashes still stung.

There was suddenly the unmistakable sound of retching nearby, as one of the other occupants (I refused to call them experiments) was violently sick in his cage. The whole place stank of vomit and waste, and I doubted whether the scientists here bothered with bathroom trips for the experiments. Probably not.

I couldn't believe that I was here, in a cage, an experiment all over again. The only difference was that I wasn't property of Itex. No, I belonged to a psycho murderer now, who wanted to pick my brain apart for science.

What was coming for me? Would it be the same as it was in The School, with needles, and mazes, and endless, exhausting torture, and both physical and psychological strain? Would I have to endure similar experiments, be forced through this nightmare again? Oh, gosh. I never wanted to have to live like this again, to live like I was dead. To live in a way that I _wished_ I was dead. What was the use of new wings, if I would never be free? If there was no hope of ever seeing my family again…

My throat felt tight. I wrapped my arms tighter around myself, and it was painful to realize what a lonely gesture it was. I suddenly wished, more than anything, that there were someone else there to hold me instead.

As the screaming continued around me, I wanted to just sink through the cold metal on which I lay, to just disappear. I was surrounded by the noise, by screeching and wailing disfigured children, but I had never felt so alone. The Flock would never come for me; they had no idea where I was. I was going to die in this heck, all alone.

_Well_, I thought in irony, as someone let out a particularly loud surge of sobs in the cage beside mine, _at least I have my wings_.

**Hm. that appears to have been another short chapter, but I have nothing to add. Until the next post, that is. We're not anywhere near done here, so don't freak-out. Hey, you know what's a good song to write to? Yeah, I know, on again with the music, but you can skip this AN if you want. It's "Belief", by Gavin DeGraw. Heard of it? I think it was on "One Tree Hill", not that I've ever watched that show… Also, who loves the song "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams", by Green Day? I think it could be Fang's theme song...**

**Review! You know I get an e-mail every time one of you subscribes, right? Well, when I get that subscribe notice, and it's not followed by a comment…**

**I have reason to get a little angry.**

**Seriously guys, I've told you this before. I get no money from this, and the only rewards for my hours of work are those reviews. So, please, send me a comment. Even if it's just a couple words, at least you're acknowledging my time and effort for this, right? REVIEW!**


	19. Now or Never

**Hey guys, pandorad24 again. Sorry about the late update, but I've had tests to study for, piano to practice, and one, VERY cute newborn baby to see in the hospital, and I've been totally busy for the past few days. But, rest assured, I did get some writing squeezed in there, and this will be a nice, long chapter. (Nice if you like Iggy torture, which I think you would, seeing as you've read this far…) **

**Anyway, Fang POV first, and then Iggy (-cackles evilly-). Fang shall be making quite an impulsive decision… Which can totally save Iggy! Or condemn them both. Hehe, it's so much fun messing with you guys. XD**

**Oh, and another thing: readers, your author is an idiot. Okay, so you remember how, in the first chapter, Ari could fly? And I just had Dr. Psycho **_**give him wings**_**. Ugh, I'm such a scatterbrain; I'm surprised that you guys didn't call me out on that one. And, that was such a big thing; I don't know how I could fix it… Too late now… Whatever, just forget about the conversation between Dr. Gunther and Ari, guys. My bad. :/**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Well, except for The Pack, and the Vancouver School, and Dr. Gunther-Hagen's lab, and the big mission for The Flock, and… Yeah, I'm creative, you get the point.**

_~ Chapter 19 – Now or Never ~_

I was storming through the trees, being anything but my usual silent as I ran to get away from it all. I just couldn't stand it. _My fault, my fault_…

Bursting through the trees into another, tiny clearing, I let my legs give out and I fell to the earth, tears spilling down my face. How could this have happened? No, a better question would be _how could I_ _let this happen? _I could have stayed with him, I could've helped… But, again, could I have? After I knew what I had _done_, would I have had the guts to stay? Still, it was selfish. Regardless of what _I_ thought, I knew Iggy would have appreciated the company of one of his Flock.

That got me thinking - about how Iggy hated to be alone. Now that I thought about it, there were so many times I could remember when Iggy would purposely put himself into a situation, even if it was something he really didn't want to do, just to be included. And then, before he was blind, he was always the quiet one, the one that was off to the side. But now, he was more outspoken; he cracked jokes and did everything he possibly could to be accepted in The Flock's eyes. There were also little things he would do, stuff I had barely noticed before, like how he hated to be behind a closed door when he slept. Heck, he hated to be behind a closed door _period_, if there was no one with him. And, though he wasn't clingy, Iggy always seemed to be with at least one person, like me or Gaz.

What the heck were we thinking? Going through all the different signs and symptoms in my head, it was now plain to see that Iggy had some kind of separation anxiety disorder, and had been that way since…

Since he became blind.

And then it suddenly dawned on me; Iggy relied on people. Sure, he was amazing, but he could only do so much for himself. If we were gone, he couldn't get himself food unless he begged for it on the streets, he couldn't find shelter, and he couldn't navigate on the ground without our footsteps to follow…

That, added to his latest traumatizing experience…

Oh my gosh. What had we _done? _Iggy couldn't live without us, especially not _now_, after all that had happened to him! Even if he _was _alive, and had somehow managed to evade Ari in the woods, he would die without us anyway!

I stood up quickly, wiping the tears off my face impatiently. Max was right, in a way; I needed to snap out of it. Now was not the time to be moping around. I knew what I had to do.

I flashed out my dark wings, and lifted myself into the air with a powerful sweep. Rising above the trees, I leveled out, and consulted with my inner navigational instincts that told me to go… Southwest from here to make it to the Pack house. I had to hurry…. Iggy could be dying by Ari's filthy paws right now. With a low snarl, I pushed myself faster, my head swimming with anger and hatred toward the Eraser. If he'd so much as laid a _claw_ on Iggy while I was gone…

I swallowed thickly. If Ari did attack Iggy, it would be more my fault than anyone else's; at least the Eraser had the argument of being mentally and emotionally unbalanced, and not to mention he was seven years old… That thought just made me want to go even faster. _Please be okay, Iggy, hang in there, _I thought desperately, as the image of my brother, bloody and unmoving, appeared in my mind.

I was flying for a good twenty minutes, when the sound of heavy, flapping wings reached my ears. That couldn't be any of The Flock… Crap, it had to be an Eraser. But it sounded like it was only one, which would definitely be a first for the furry mutants. Turning around and scanning the sky with my raptor vision, I quickly spotted the massive mutant supported by an awkward, floppy pair of wings, and it was making slow progress towards me. It was pretty pitiful. I was just about to put on a burst of speed that would surely lose him, but then I had a thought. What if the Eraser knew where Iggy was? It was worth a try.

Deciding to interrogate the Eraser, I sped easily towards where he was struggling in the sky, and he let out a snarl that probably would have been more intimidating if he wasn't concentrating so hard on just staying in the air. "What do you want, runt?" He growled, glaring at me while wobbling forward slightly in a failed attempt to hover.

Glaring back with a fierce '_I'm not taking any crap'_ expression, I balled up my fists threateningly and asked, "Where is Iggy, and what are you little mutts doing to him?"

The dog let out a cruel, barking laugh. "Doing?" He said, smirking. "We're not _doing _anything to the little blindie. I expect the doctor's taking care of him now. We did our job."

I felt my heart sink in my chest at hearing that he was already captured, but I kept a straight face. "_Where is he?"_ I repeated coldly.

"Why should I tell _you_, runt?" He said nastily, and I raised a fist in his face.

"Because I can kill you in an instant without hardly touching you, and I'm giving you five seconds to answer before I decide you would look better as Eraser splatter art on the ground." I hissed threateningly. The Eraser's smirk faltered as he considered this, and he seemed to have decided not to take his chances.

"He's on an island off of Bremerhaven," he said, watching my fist carefully. He must have seen my expression, because he clarified a little condescendingly, "Germany. Dr. Gunther-Hagen has him there in his lab. That's all I know."

Glaring at him, I decided he was telling the truth, and I lowered my fist slightly. "Where are the other Erasers?" I asked, making sure he wouldn't send anyone after me.

"We got… Separated," the Eraser mumbled, and I swore that I could see him blush through his fur.

"You don't have any way of contacting them?…" I asked innocently, watching his face.

"What's it to you?" The Eraser snapped, and I could tell that he didn't. Well, how lucky for me…

I sped off without another word, in the general direction I new Europe to be. I heard the Eraser shouting behind me, but I ignored him, pushing myself faster. Jeez, _Germany_. I was going all the way to Germany, by myself, without telling the rest of The Flock. But, I knew that even though The Eraser may not have any way of contacting his mutant buddies, he could still find them and send them after me, and I couldn't afford to waste time by stopping back at camp. After all, Iggy was counting on me.

It was now or never.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"Alright, you lazy freak. Get up!"

I blearily opened my eyes, and of course the same darkness greeted me, as I was suddenly aware of rough hands pulling me from my cage. I must have fallen asleep.

Was it time for more experiments already? I felt like it had been only hours ago that I was subjected to my first experimentation here in this new lab. They took my blood pressure and injected me with heaven knows what, and then they had taped wires all over my chest and arms, and monitored me while I ran at sprint speeds on a treadmill for hours. Obviously, I was exhausted, and the guy that was dragging me around had no patience for my tired limbs, so I was practically panting for breath trying to keep up with his brisk pace.

I hardly dared to ask him where he was taking me, knowing from recent experience that I would be "disciplined" again if I spoke without being spoken to, but my curiosity got the better of me. "What do you want from me this time?" I asked, and was slightly surprised to find that my voice was weak and shaky.

I could feel the man glaring at me, but he said, "Dr. Gunther-Hagen has specifically asked for you. He feels that you deserve a second opportunity to fulfill his… Requirements."

I felt my heart skip a beat, and I nearly stopped following the guy. He didn't mean… No. I still wouldn't do it, I couldn't. But I knew that they would just kill the poor kid anyway, and my heart surged with pity and disgust. Even having lived the first ten years of my life with sadistic scientists, I still found it hard believe that anyone could be so _inhuman_ and _cruel_ as to murder kids purely for the fun of it. It was so sick.

"In here, freak," the man snarled, and I heard as he opened a door, and he shoved me through it.

White. The second I stumbled through the doorway, my eyes were hit with a glaring whiteness, so blindingly bright that I took a step back and reflexively covered my eyes, and the image was burned into my useless retinas. Or… Maybe not so useless. I cautiously uncovered my eyes and opened them very slightly, and, again, there was that brilliant _white_, all around me. I could see _white_.

Oh my gosh. I. Could. See. _White_. I could see. I could freaking _see!_

All cautiousness forgotten, I shot my eyes wide open, and, ignoring the burning pain in them from the sheer brilliance of the room, I darted my gaze over everything, taking in the white walls and floor and ceiling, and the blinding florescent lights above me. There were also figures, dark, blurry outlines of people standing ahead, and I strained to get a clearer look at them. The people swam into focus as my eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room, and I saw them not quite clearly, but I could just make out the hardest outlines of faces, and the colors of their hair and clothes.

As the shock of my new ability wore down slightly, I noticed that most of the people… Oh, no. Most of them looked smaller, shorter, _younger_… They were kids. Little kids, none of them older than Angel or Gazzy.

My stomach pitched and bile rose in my throat at seeing all these children, and I suddenly wished that this room, for whatever reason, hadn't granted me sight. I didn't want to have to see as they were murdered when I refused to kill them myself. I didn't want to see…

"Hello, Igneous." One of the figures stepped towards me, and I immediately recognized the deep, predatory voice of Dr. Gunther-Hagen. I could tell as much that he wore a long, white lab coat, and he had dark gray-speckled hair and rectangle-framed glasses. He seemed to be studying me carefully, a hungry look in his eyes that I remembered from when I was little at The School, when whitecoats where preparing to experiment on me mercilessly, trying to find every little thing that made me tick. I stood a little straighter, making my expression as blank as possible, so as not to give anything away; I still didn't appreciate it when these scientists wanted to pick me apart.

"I do hope you slept well," the doctor continued, stepping closer, his hands stuffed casually in his coat pockets. "I'm sorry you had so little time to rest, but a mutant's job is never really done, is it?" An ironical smile played across the doctor's lips, and he stepped even closer, enough for him to reach out and poke his cold fingers around my eyes. I couldn't help but wince at the unexpected contact, and I yanked out of his reach. He chuckled darkly. "You can see this place, can't you?" He said amusedly, watching me with interest. "Yes, I had a feeling that would be the case. Of course, all the better for our little trial today…"

"My choice hasn't changed," I snapped, before he could say anything else to tick me off. "I'm still not doing it."

"I wouldn't be so sure…" He said condescendingly, smirking. I wanted to snap him in half like a moldy toothpick, but my limbs still felt weak and shaky, not to mention there were hulking forms I recognized as Erasers standing around in the room, waiting for me to make a move they didn't like. I just glared back at Dr. Gunther-Hagen's smirking face with loathing, wanting nothing more than for him and everyone that worked in that heckish place to just drop dead.

"You see, Igneous," the doctor continued, pacing around me. "All these children… These _experiments_ are slated for termination already. If you don't kill them, we will. And it won't be pleasant, I can assure you that much."

Behind Dr. Gunther-Hagen, I could see an Eraser hold out something. It was a large red canister, with a sort of oversized yellow bendy-straw sticking out the top. Another Eraser held out something else, a much smaller thing, and I squinted to see what it was. I couldn't make out the object, but he clicked it, and an orange light danced on top. Fire. It was a lighter, and the other Eraser held a… A…

A container of gasoline.

I suddenly felt very sick, as I realized they planned to _torch_ these kids if I didn't cave into their _requirements_. No… _No_…

"So, I take it that you are reconsidering your decision?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen asked, clearly enjoying this and smirking condescendingly at me. I could never remember feeling more hatred, more _loathing_ for anyone else in the world than him at that moment. I wanted to see him burst into flames himself, I even would wish the same torture that I had endured on him, and I didn't even want _Ari_, who had done it to me, to have to go through that. I wanted him to drop dead.

"Awww, little freak thinks he's so intimidating," an Eraser cooed patronizingly, as I glared at Dr. Gunther-Hagen, my lip automatically curling up into a hateful snarl. I was so mad, I was shaking, I just wanted to strangle him and rip his head off… "Well, have you made your decision or not?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen was waiting for me to answer, but he already knew what I was going to say, and he was grinning victoriously. He knew he had won; and I knew it too. There was no way I could let these kids die so painfully. But the realization of what I would have to _do_ to avoid that hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt my knees go weak and nearly buckle. _No_…

"Come along then, Igneous," the doctor said, placing his hand on my back and steering me over to the kids. "We have much to do." No, no, I couldn't do this, I was going to puke, they couldn't make me do this! I was right in front of the row of mutant kids now, and I was close enough for my blurry eyes to make out the fear in their expressions. They had no way of fighting back, with their wrists bound behind them and all in emaciated and weak conditions. They were simply here to be executed.

By me.

_No, I can't do it_, I kept telling myself, but I knew that I wouldn't have a choice. I _had_ to do it, I was the only one that would be merciful in killing them, they wouldn't have to feel a thing… But I couldn't convince myself that it was right, I couldn't bear the thought of _doing_ what I was about to do, it was murder, it was disgusting and horrible and I couldn't do it –

"Go on, Igneous." Everyone was waiting, the Erasers seeming to grow impatient. The one with the lighter clicked it threateningly.

I took a deep breath. _Okay_. Swallowing thickly, I looked at the kid in front of me. His eyes were scared, confused, and pleading all at once. He had spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and I was reminded painfully of Gazzy. _No, no_…

_Just do it_.

Something in me snapped and just gave in, and I reached out and took the kid's throat in my hands. With one quick, practiced movement, I broke the boy's neck.

I watched a faint glimmer of surprise pass over his expression, but no sign of pain, and the light faded and dimmed from his eyes. His small, thin body went slack.

I released the corpse and dropped to my knees, and put my face in my hands as the other children screamed and began sobbing with fear. I felt my heart shatter and break apart, into a million different pieces, and I knew at that moment that I would never be whole again.

I had just committed murder.

Pain exploded in my chest like a bullet had shot through, and I was beyond the point of tears as I crumpled up on the ground beside the corpse of that little boy. I was shaking and breaking and falling apart, and the severity of what I had just done echoed dully in my chest_. I just murdered a little kid_.

I don't think I was even aware of the world around me until one of the Erasers came up and lashed a whip across my back, and growled, "Next kid, birdie." No, no, not again… I couldn't do it _again_.

But I did anyway. I remembered what awaited these kids if I didn't give into Dr. Gunther-Hagen's sick plans for me, and I forced myself to get off the ground and piece myself back together just long enough to end the life of the next child, and so it went on until every last kid lay dead. I don't know how I got through it; I don't know how I forced myself to do the disgusting act again and again, but I suppose that I just was so broken that I was beyond the point of breaking any more. I felt numb; I couldn't feel, I was beyond that. By the time I reached the end of the row of kids, I was so shattered inside I felt dead.

"I must say, Igneous, I'm impressed," said the voice of Dr. Gunther-Hagen somewhere behind me, and suddenly, all the feeling came back. It came back in the form of fury and hatred and revenge, like I tidal wave crashing over me, all at once and stronger than anything I had ever felt. My blurry, white world was now swimming in red, and I began shaking with anger instead of painful grief and guilt. Something snapped in my brain, and I could only think of and obsess over one thing: _Revenge; _The justice and redemption for those kids that now lay dead.

I was going to kill Dr. Gunther-Hagen.

I spun around to face the doctor and threw myself at him with all my strength, but the Erasers in the room held me back. I was snarling like some possessed animal and scrambling to get at the man I hated so much, who was watching me with calm amusement. "Calm down, Igneous," he said, as I continued to struggle with all my might against the Erasers holding me back effortlessly. "After all, they are only experiments; just like you."

After continuing to watch my desperate efforts to attack him for a few minutes, Dr. Gunther-Hagen gave a pointed look at the Erasers restraining me. "Immobilize it."

The Erasers nodded, and wordlessly flipped me onto my back, my head slamming onto the hard white painted floor, and took both my legs in their tight grips. The both of them braced my legs with their feet, and snapped them in half. Pain exploded in my broken legs, and I let out a scream of pain.

Without another word, Doctor Gunther-Hagen and the Erasers filed over to the door, and the doctor flashed a vicious smile back at me before closing it behind him, leaving me alone with the dead bodies of the children I had killed.

**Whew. That was a **_**long**_** chapter, and not to mention pretty horrific, I'd say. I mean, jeez, Iggy being forced to kill a bunch of small children has got to top the list of torturous stuff in this fic so far. But I'm not sure if it was quite sufficient emotionally. I mean, would he really have been able to kill those kids, even if what the Erasers were going to do was worse? Hm, I don't know, let me know what you guys think. So… Yeah. Hope you did enjoy it though, if possible. **

**Please review! A lot of you guys are really great about reviewing, and I thank you SO MUCH for your input, but if you don't review often (or haven't at all), I would love it if you did for this chappie. Tell me what you guys think! Thanks!**


	20. Mission

**Hey guys, pandorad24 again. I've got my emo play-list going on repeat, and I'm ready for another chapter! Yeah, it probably doesn't come as a surprise to anyone that this fic is written to emo music… Let's hear it for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Secondhand Serenade, and Boys Like Girls, shall we? WHOOT! **

**Yeah, you guys are probably really tired of my music-based ranting, so I'm just going to shut up and type now. Okay, so this chapter is going to look back on the Flock and Pack situation (sigh, they're so boring), then a little glimpse at Fang, and finally Iggy. –cheers- Poor Igs though; that last chapter was only half of his torture. Or, actually one-third, if you count the… **

**What? Who said something? I didn't say anything about Iggy torture. Or maybe I did… ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride, Iggy, or anyone's soul. (Be grateful. Be very grateful).**

_~ Chapter 20 – Mission ~ _

"Angel, are you sure you can't pick anything up on him?"

"Positive, Max. He's out of range."

I sighed frustratedly, running a hand through my tangled hair absentmindedly. Where the heck was Fang? Didn't he realize we already had a Flock member missing? I looked over at my family and friends sitting around our little campfire, and saw that they were all watching me, except for Aaron, who was focusing stonily on a spot in the trees beyond. He still hadn't spoken since we left the van.

Suddenly, Fang's computer resting in Nudge's lap made an obnoxious little jingling noise, and Nudge glanced down anxiously. "Max!" She exclaimed, looking exited. "The e-mail just came in!"

Looks like my mystery contact had cracked the code sooner than expected. In the van, I had copied the coded files I had found onto the computer, and e-mailed them to the reply address on the message I had received… Two days ago. Jeez, it seemed like so much longer ago than that. Anyway, the guy obviously had some instructions for us now. I quickly made my way over to Nudge, and she scooted to make room for me in between her and Gazzy on the ground. I leaned closer to the laptop, and my eyes darted across the screen as I read more and more frantically with each sentence.

_Maximum,_

_Well done for having located the files so swiftly. I admit that I hadn't expected as much of you. Now, the real test begins._

_My sources have informed me of the new additions to your Flock, namely the human-feline hybrids developed by the Itex branch located in Alamo, New Mexico. I was very pleased to hear that you will have aid in your mission – you will surely have need for it. _

_Now, Maximum, here are the details concerning your latest mission: you will travel to Salzburg, Austria, where you will meet with a man named Mr. Chu. Chu is a weapons specialist, and is planning to invest in a partnership with Itex industries. If he succeeds in selling Itex his highly advanced weaponry, there is no limit to the destructive havoc they could wreak upon our world. Itex must never lay eyes on Chu's technology._

_Also investing in a partnership with Itex industries is a little-known accomplice of Chu, Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen. He is a billionaire scientist, specializing in limb-regeneration and stem cell research, and he plans to aid them with his vast discoveries in both areas of his work. This could also be a partnership of dangerous consequences, if Itex applies his discoveries to their own subjects, creating an army of unstoppable super-mutants._

_Chu is your main priority, but both must be stopped. Written on the files you recovered, here are the decoded coordinates to locate both Mr. Chu and Dr. Gunther-Hagen…_

The rest of the e-mail consisted of cities and fancy building names, but I closed up the laptop, deciding to put off figuring out the exact locations of these creeps until we at least made it to Europe. But, it caught my eye, at the bottom of the screen, the words, _the clock is ticking, Maximum. _Did this guy know any other way to tell me to hurry up? Still, he was right. I had to hurry; we needed to leave as soon as possible. The Pack teens took turns driving on the way to the campsite, so everyone got some sleep, which meant we should just put out the fire, cover our tracks, and leave.

There was only one problem: Fang. He still wasn't back. Should we leave without him? I winced inwardly as I realized it wouldn't be the first time I left one of my Flock behind, but this was different; Fang had the wings to follow us, and he was smart (not that Iggy wasn't, but Fang was just really good at the whole tracking thing). He would find us, I was sure of it.

With that new confidence, I stood up from my seat on the grass, and everyone looked up at me expectantly. "Guys," I said, addressing all the mutants around me with assurance for the first time since our lives had been broken up in the most recent chaos, "bury the fire, and cover up your tracks – we're leaving for Austria in ten minutes."

"But, Max," Nudge piped up concernedly. "What about Fang?"

I bent down and took her shoulders in my hands comfortingly, looking into her brown eyes reassuringly. "I'm sure he'll be fine, sweetie. How far could he have gone?"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was currently resting at a beach somewhere on the east coast, preparing for the long flight across the Atlantic to the island Iggy was apparently being kept at. It was a cold fall day, so I was pretty much alone on the cool, white sand, watching the stark gray waves crash and roll out in front of me. It was so calm. My thoughts drifted to Max, how she would love it there. I wished she were there with me.

But, I knew there was someone I wanted to see even more, to see him alive and okay. It had only been days, but it felt like years since I had seen Iggy, and I knew he was suffering alone now. I had to keep moving.

I stood up from my comfortable perch on the sand, and, making sure there was no one around, I shook out my wings and took off roughly from the white beach. As I soared through brisk air over the murky gray waves, I thought to myself, _hang in there, Igs_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I had always dreamt of seeing again, ever since the whitecoats took colors and light and the faces of my family from me, replacing it all with the same deep, never ending black. I had imagined being able to see all of my friends, all the things _they_ got to see when we were released from The School. Sun, trees, green grass, stars, the endless blue sky I soared in. There was so much I wanted to see.

But I never expected that when I finally did get my sight back, it would be so much more like a nightmare than a desperate dream come true. I couldn't bear to look at the blank faces of the corpses surrounding me, couldn't get the images out of my head when I tried to hide by closing my eyes. The memories haunted me, wouldn't let me go; kids, _little kids'_ haunted, terrified eyes fading, life draining, then falling to the floor as death took them. _Because of me_.

I wanted to tell them how sorry I was, but I couldn't form the words. I wanted to take it back; I wanted to end their pain, but not _this_ way! I was so tortured by regret, but would I rather them have died painfully? I didn't know, I was tearing myself apart trying to find the answers, but I only came up with searing guilt, any way I turned. I was broken and still breaking; I was falling apart, ripping into pieces. I felt insane.

I needed someone to give me the answers; I needed someone to piece me back together, someone that could save me from myself. But I was alone.

Alone. The word echoed dully in my chest, and seemed to finally shatter the last piece of my tattered heart, the last scrap of sanity I had been clinging to. _Alone_. I had been alone for so long. Every second I missed them, desperately, selfishly. I missed my Flock, my family. I knew that if I could just see them _once_, just hear their voices one more time, it would be okay. Maybe they would have the answers I needed; maybe they could pull me back together. Maybe they could make me happy again, if I could just see them _one more time_…

I don't know how long I continued to lie there on the blindingly white floor, soaking in the florescent lights and waiting for my bones to set and heal. Waiting for the answers. Waiting for the pain to go away. Wishing for my family to come. Hating Dr. Gunther-Hagen. Hating myself. Wanting it to end. I finally just closed my eyes numbly, and let my restless thoughts die with sleep. Maybe what waited for me in my dreams would be better than this nightmare.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari stood by Dr. Gunther-Hagen, watching the screen along with the scientist, but not feeling any of the sick satisfaction the doctor felt in seeing the freak suffer. It was different for Ari this time, when he had nothing to gain from Iggy's pain; now he felt almost sorry for the little blindie. Dr. Gunther-Hagen obviously had a really messed up way of thinking, if he believed this would get Iggy on his side.

Ari noticed the doctor continuing to watch the live footage on the screen, his face twisting into fascination as Iggy tossed and turned on the floor with nightmares, whimpering once pitifully. Ari was surprised when he heard Iggy suddenly mumble, "Max," and then, a few seconds later, "no, please, don't go. I need you. Don't leave!"

Iggy's head tossed fretfully to the side, sweat glistening on his neck and forehead, and his limbs started to shake. "No! I won't do it! I don't want to, no, no…" Ari continued to watch in shock, and he saw tears glistening in Iggy's eyelashes. "No, I'm sorry, I didn't want to do this… Please help me_, come back!_"

Iggy's eyes flew open, and he bolted upright. Looking around him and continuing to shake, he drew his newly healed legs up to his chest and buried his face in the tattered knees of his jeans. He began to cry.

Ari was filled with disgust, as Dr. Gunther-Hagen continued to look captivatingly at the screen, a wicked grin of pleasure widening on his face at seeing Iggy's bare shoulders shake with sobs. He felt like turning away. Unlike his boss, he didn't want to watch Iggy break down. Even he could understand the need for privacy.

Of course, he did watch Iggy in the forest… Whatever, that was different. This time, Dr. Gunther-Hagen had deliberately done this to him, and was looking on the effects without a trace of the guilt or disgust Ari felt. It was sick, and wrong, and Ari just didn't want to see it.

He was just about to turn and leave the observation room, when Dr. Gunther-Hagen spoke. "It misses it's family."

Ari just nodded mutely. He didn't know what there was to miss about The Flock, but Iggy obviously was pretty attached to them. He remembered seeing tears well up in his useless eyes when he realized he would never see his family again, right before Danny killed that little girl. "The other bird freaks are all he thinks about," Ari mumbled, listening to Iggy's cracked sobs through the speakers.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen's expression became thoughtful, considering this. "They are a distraction to it?" He asked, still not taking his eyes off the screen.

"I guess," Ari said, shrugging weakly.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen finally turned away from the screen to face Ari, grinning cruelly, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Well, we can't have that, now can we?"

"What do you mean, sir?" Ari asked, confused and a little frightened at what the doctor's statement could mean.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen ignored him, and simply glanced down at his own white lab coat. He began picking at the inside of his cuff, and he came up pulling out a little thread. "What I mean, Ari," he said, yanking the thread out and taking a metal instrument from his coat pocket that reminded Ari of a pair of scissors, "is that the subject's family is the only thing that holds it back from being completely obedient to me. As long as it still has that one, faint hope that they will come for it, it is useless to me."

"So, what are we going to do?" Ari asked nervously, watching as Dr. Gunther-Hagen held the thread in one hand, letting it dangle, and he eyed the scissor-like instrument warily.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen's evil grin widened, his eyes growing darker. "Why, we simply cut the ties that keeps it from me."

Iggy's sobs in the background suddenly weighed much more heavily on Ari's ears, as Dr. Gunther-Hagen pointedly brought the scissor-things up, and snipped the thread in half.

**Surprise! I added a POV, just for you. :) Dr. Psycho is really beginning to show his true colors as an evil scientist, what with his horrible plans to only hurt Iggy more. I know, I know, it hardly seems possible. Jeez, I am so mean to my favorite bird boy. Anyway, The Flock and Pack are on their way to Austria (yes, I did my research, and Salzburg was perfect! Alamo, New Mexico is also a real place, right next to a huge forest, according to the map – gotta love Google), and Fang is on his way to save Iggy! Or is he?… (Yeah, okay, I really need to stop doing that). XD**

**Review! I love dem reviews! They make pandorad's heart all warm and fuzzy. :)**


	21. Monster

**Yo. As always, I'm pandorad24, and this is a freakishly awesome depressing story. Haha, normally I'm more humble, but you guys pushed me past 100 REVIEWS, and that gives me reason to believe that this story is pretty darn good. Thank you guys SO MUCH! –hugs all reviewers-**

**Oh, and this chapter receives a dedication: congratulations to flYegurl, for being my 100****th ****REVIEWER! Because I can't give you a cookie as big as your house, this chapter is dedicated to you as reward! And because I made you wait so long for this chappie… Anyway, let's all give her a big round of applause:**

**WHOOOT! FLYEGURL RULES! –makes confetti rain from the figurative ceiling-**

**Readers, if you haven't already, be sure to check out her EPIC Iggy series, "Asleep", "Awake", and the latest installment, "Daydream". FLYEGURL DOES NOT DISSAPOINT.**

**Anyway, this chapter will consist of The Flock/ Pack starting the big mission, then Fang making it to the island, and Iggy… Well, you'll just have to find out. ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. Plain and simple.**

_~ Chapter 21 – Monster ~_

"Alright, everyone have their tickets?"

We were about to board a plane for Salzburg, and I was frantically trying to make sure everyone was accounted for. Jeez, let me just say that there is so much less hassle in flying natural. Well, not exactly _natural_; those of us in The Flock were _kids _with _feathers_, but point being that I would so much rather travel with my own two wings than in the giant metal death machine on the runway out the big window. Seriously, that thing had to way a hundred freaking tons! If us bird kids were much heavier, we would drop like stones for sure – so how do you expect me to believe that hunk of steel was going to lift up and _stay_ up?

Despite my anxiety, we were all soon seated comfortably on the plane, and everyone but me seemed perfectly relaxed, lounging in their seats and laughing. Gazzy and Nudge were both gazing excitedly out the window as we began rolling and picking up speed down the runway. I didn't know what the big deal was; we took off into the air all the time, and certainly got a better view than just what we could see out of a little porthole. But they looked like they were really enjoying themselves, so I didn't say anything.

The trip was excruciatingly long and _boring_. Don't ask me how long it went, because I had no idea. All I knew is that it was dark when we finally got to Salzburg, and I was on the verge of going insane by the sheer lack of _anything to do_. It was torturous.

I winced inwardly. Here I was, complaining that our cushy flight was _torturous_, while Iggy was… Well, I didn't actually know how he was doing, or if he was even alive, but he certainly was having a harder time than me. And Fang of course was chewing himself out with guilt somewhere, soon to find that we had abandoned him in our haste to get on the mission. Jeez, how many heartless decisions would I make before this was all over? I couldn't believe that I had left two of my brothers to fend for themselves. Some leader I was.

But as we were preparing to hop off the plane, I caught a glance of Aaron, and knew that I wasn't the only kid with authority here with doubts. He looked really… Sad? Angry? …Angry at himself?

…Yes, that was it. He was still upset that he had let Iggy out of his sight, and he was chewing himself out for it. Of course, I didn't blame him; he did the best he could, and what else was he supposed to do, with one of his Pack members screaming bloody murder like that… I would have done the same thing, anyone would have. And yet, any decent person would feel at least a little guilty, regardless of whether it was their fault or not. But even if you do deserve the blame, there's always a time when you need to just cut yourself some slack, and Aaron had spent enough time feeling guilty over this. After all, it was more my fault than anyone else's.

I decided to have a talk with Aaron, but it would have to wait until we got settled; everyone was just getting off the plane, and from the huge airport window, we could see an amazing view of the city; and boy, was it a sight to see. There were elegant, foreign-looking towers and structures with brightly lit windows, and huge, ancient buildings on top of hills that looked like castles, straight from a fairytale or something. Of course, Nudge got all worked-up over that.

"Ohmygosh, I didn't know there were still castles around! How are they even still standing? Aren't they, like, hundreds of years old?"

Arabel grinned, and put her hand on Nudge's shoulder. "I think they're a little older than that, actually," she said, making Nudge turn back to the view in awe.

"It's… It's beautiful," said Amber quietly, and I nodded.

"Yeah."

Well, looks like this mission was going to be pretty enjoyable, as far as location and resting was concerned; at least we probably wouldn't be sleeping in any trees.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was sitting on the branch of a large tree with my back rested against the trunk, and I was breathing heavily, my arms and wings hanging limply at my sides. I had just landed from my non-stop flight across the ocean, and I was exhausted. Nevertheless, I had made it to my destination; the small, private island where that creep was keeping Iggy in his lab.

From my slumped position on the branch, I could easily see the large white building in the distance, illuminated dully by the nearly full moon, standing tall and intimidating against the night. My eyes narrowed. _I'm gonna find a way to get you out of there, Iggy, _I thought to myself, just before closing my eyes for some much-needed sleep. _If it's the last thing I do, I swear I will. Just hold on_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was hunched numbly over my knees, ignoring the tremors still running through my shoulders from crying, and trying to forget what I had just seen; my family leaving me with The Pack, alone, pain, blood and scars and hiding. Then flash forward; I relived the light fading from a child's eyes as I killed her, and saw The Flock standing in the background, looking horrified and disgusted. "_Iggy, how could you?"_ Max had shouted, looking furious.

"_You're a monster!"_

"_Murderer!" _

"_You're disgusting."_

"_I never want to have to look at you again!"_

And then they left. I watched them go, desperately begging them to stay, but knowing what they had said was true. I was a murderer, a monster. I couldn't blame them, but I wanted so badly for them to stay, just stay and help me believe that it wasn't _me_, that I wasn't a killer, not really, not the real me. I needed them to piece me back together, needed someone to make me whole again.

But then, I turned around, and the bodies and faces of the kids I had killed… They had changed to the corpses of The Flock. My family.

I had killed them.

"No!" I shouted again out of nowhere, bringing me back from my memories. I clutched my legs tighter to me, and buried my face into my knees, wanting to shrink into myself and disappear. Wanting to die. Yes, wanting more than anything to just die finally, and free myself of all the pain… Or, maybe that wouldn't work anymore. Maybe what some people said was true, and I would go to Hell or something for killing all those kids. I didn't know the details; The Flock had never been religious. But, certainly something like that would be plenty bad enough… I thought so.

I lifted my head and let out a quiet sigh, my breath stirring the overlong bangs that almost completely covered my eyes. I almost smiled, remembering all the times Max had nagged me about that. I gave in to her grumbling once and hacked at my hair with some kitchen scissors, only because Angel had joined in the argument, with that adorable way of hers; I could never deny Angel. I remember her saying, _"You're hiding your pretty eyes!" _

Of course, that was kind of the point; I could always sense people trying to get a glimpse of them when they realized I was blind, and I hated it. I hated people seeing me as a freak, and I had always done everything I could to keep from emphasizing that fact. And now look at me - a murderer, a monster. So much more than just the freakish mutant blind kid I had been before this whole nightmare.

Suddenly, a soft _snicking_ noise echoed through the large room to my sensitive ears, and my head snapped towards the door, where I saw several blurry figures entering, two of them large and carrying what seemed to be shotguns, and a smaller one, holding nothing, but stuffing his hands in the pockets of his long white lab coat.

It was Dr. Gunther-Hagen.

I leapt to my feet, all weakness and exhaustion forgotten, and immediately ran at the doctor with all my strength, furiously unbelieving that he would dare face me again, after my attempted attack on his life just hours ago. I hated him, _I hated him_, he was going to die!This was one murder I wouldn't regret. But, before I could lay my hands on Gunther-Hagen, the Erasers tailing him grabbed me roughly by the arms and pinned them to my sides, holding me there.

"Why, Igneous," Dr. Gunther-Hagen purred pleasantly, smirking at me as always. "I'm so glad to see you're awake and alert. We have something to talk about."

My heart began racing, as I wondered what the heck he could still want from me. At least he hadn't brought any kids with him… "What do you want?" I snarled in the most intimidating way I could with my voice still shaky from crying. "If it's about more of your twisted idea of a '_get out of jail_' card, forget it. I'd die first!" _That sounded like a good idea…_

The doctor just chuckled darkly. I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach, and I was suddenly reluctant to hear what he had to say. This didn't feel right, like this was something entirely different. A new torture. Something else to hurt over. I swallowed thickly, straitening up and giving up on struggling against the Erasers. But I continued to glare at Gunther-Hagen, my eyes narrowed with hatred for the man. As horrible as the monster that I had become was, I could at least hold the slightest satisfaction in knowing that this guy, this murderous, sadistic psycho, was even worse. It was depressing to think, that that was as close to comfort as I could get anymore.

The doctor stepped forward; close enough so that I could see the expression on his face somewhat clearer. He was frowning in what could be called a sympathetic way, but his eyes were exited, mocking. He couldn't wait to tell me whatever it was he was going to say, he was planning his words just right.

"Well, spit out old man, so I can get on with my miserable life in this death chamber!" I snapped, not able to take the suspense anymore. If he was going to hurt me, why couldn't he just do it already?

"Oh, Igneous," Dr. Gunther-Hagen said patronizingly. "You won't like it."

_No freaking duh_, I thought frustratedly, rolling my eyes and then glaring back at Gunther-Hagen. "Just tell me! What more could you possibly do?"

"The Flock is dead."

…Had I just heard him correctly? No. No, it wasn't possible, he was lying. It was just some more of his mind games. "Yeah, of course they are," I said sarcastically, doing nothing to hide my anger. He wanted me to believe that they were dead; he wanted me to hurt more. Well, forget it. He could tell me whatever he wanted, but I would never trust him.

"So, you don't believe me?" The doctor said slowly, not seeming fazed in the slightest. In fact, he just grinned. "Fine, but don't take my word for it… Maybe you should just see for yourself."

What? What the heck was he talking about?

I suddenly noticed something moving from the corner of my eye, and I whipped my head around to see, my body tensing instinctively for an attack. If I squinted, I could just make out the large white screen lowering slowly from a slit that appeared in the ceiling. It stopped, and colors began flickering onto it. _What the_… I glanced to the opposite side of the room, and saw a small, black dot in the wall that hadn't been there before, flashing with color. On further inspection through my fuzzy vision, I decided that it was some kind of lens. Must be a projector.

"Well, are you going to watch?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen said, and I turned back to the screen. The images on it were coming in clearer, and I could just make out five figures. Five faces.

My mouth fell open.

It was The Flock. I could see them. There they were, right on the screen, my best friends, my _family_ that I hadn't seen in _years_. Max, Fang, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, they were all there, _right in front of me_. I could see them, oh gosh; I could see their faces.

Max looked so different, so much… Well, older. Her features were harder, all childhood softness forgotten, and her golden-copper hair had grown down below her shoulders. She was, put simply, very pretty. No wonder Fang liked her. I wonder if she'd decided that she liked him back yet…

And there was Fang. He had longish, jet-black hair and eyes just as dark, with an entire outfit of black clothes, and a permanent scowl on his face. He looked like the kind of guy you wouldn't want to mess with, the same as when he was little, only he had grown taller, stronger, his features more defined like Max's. The sight of my best friend made me ache with regret; I wished so bad that I could just talk to him, about everything. I could always count on Fang to listen and understand, and I had his back too, whenever he wanted to talk about Max, or something that was bothering him. Gosh, I missed them all so much.

Next was Nudge, and my eyes widened in amazement. And I thought _Max and Fang _looked older… Jeez, I hadn't seen Nudge since she was four. Now, she was tall and… Er… _More developed_, as was Max, and she had dark hair that matched her mocha-colored skin. Jeez, no wonder we always had to beat guys off with a stick when we were out, she was pretty too; not that I thought of her as anything more than a sister, she was too chatty for my taste.

Then there was Gazzy, who I hadn't seen since he was a baby, but he was easily recognizable by his bright blue eyes and blonde hair that spiked up, no matter what you did to it. He was grinning, with a mischievous glint in his eyes that always gave us away when we were working on a project that we didn't want Max to know about. My mini pyro.

Last was Angel, my sweet baby sister. Her face was identical to Gazzy's, only her eyes were bigger, with long eyelashes. She looked so innocent, so small, with a mop of golden curly hair around her face. I stared extra long at her, because I had never even seen her once before.

I continued to gaze in awe at the screen, so captivated by them, the faces of my Flock. It had been so long since I had seen… And then, I actually noticed what they were doing. They were all crouched in the shadow of a big white building, watching Gazzy, who was bent over an object in his lap about the size of a loaf of bread. It was made of black plastic, with a neat jumble of wires visible on one side. I recognized it immediately as a bomb – but what was he doing with one that _big? _What the heck did he need that kind of power for? I didn't know if he could pull one of that size off without me, if he screwed up even the slightest bit, it would blow the entire Flock to smithereens! I continued to watch anxiously, as Gazzy finished constructing the bomb, and he set it down carefully on the ground. He and The Flock exchanged nervous glances, and Gazzy pressed a small button on the side of the bomb. A countdown clock for two minutes started, and The Flock ran and took off as fast as they could.

_No!_ What the heck was Gazzy _thinking_, didn't he know that the first rule of explosives was to _never_, under any circumstances, _ever_ set off a bomb of that capacity without a separate, portable detonator? They would never get away in time! I watched my friends soar higher, away from the giant white building, but I knew that it was too late. They would never make it!

As I expected, the bomb went off, too soon for The Flock to get away. I watched helplessly, as the flaming cloud rushed towards them, and engulfed them all, one by one.

There was no audio to go along with the footage, and I saw my friend's faces twist in pain and surprise the millisecond before they were swallowed up by the flames, their mouths opening in silent screams of terror. Gazzy went first, quickly followed by his sister, then Nudge, Fang, and Max, flapping furiously to escape the blast of wicked flames. Within seconds, they were all gone.

I slipped out of the Eraser's grip, which had gone slack, and fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. No, this couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening to my family! But it's already happened. I choked out a sob, and spun around furiously to face Dr. Gunther-Hagen. "_How?"_ I roared, shaking violently with emotion and tears. "_How could this happen?"_

Dr. Gunther-Hagen shook his head sadly, stepping over to me. He placed a freezing hand on my shaking shoulder, and gripped it tightly. "Oh, Igneous," he sighed, acknowledging my tears with a mildly sorrowful expression. "I didn't want for you to find out this way…"

"No, no…" I couldn't believe it, I _refused_ to believe it. Who's to say it wasn't one of Gunther-Hagen's tricks? But, it looked so real, their faces… I let out another restrained sob, not wanting to break down in front of the man I hated so much, but it was no use; he had already seen how weak I was. "No… No… _No_…" I pulled my knees up to my chest, sobbing into my tattered jeans, wrapping my arms around my legs in a pitiful attempt to hold myself together. The doctor watched in silence, as I battled with myself, trying to find the truth. Was it a trick? Was it real? The Flock all looked so _real_, even more accurate than I could have imagined. But, it couldn't be… They couldn't be… _Dead_.

"Such a pity," Dr. Gunther-Hagen cooed, gripping even tighter to my shoulder as my sobs only came harder. "That you weren't there to construct the explosive correctly."

My shattered world came crashing back down to reality. My mind was blank with shock. He was right. If I had been there… Oh, gosh. If I had _been _there…

None of this would have happened.

I was so struck, the tears stopped coming immediately, and my shaking calmed. _If I had been there… _My family wouldn't have died. _My family_ wouldn't have _died. _I could have made the bomb perfectly, everyone could have gotten away…

But here I was. And it was all my fault.

All my fault.

_All my fault_.

"They're… They're all… Dead." I said, my voice so quiet that even I could barely hear it. I began shaking again. "My family… Is _dead_… Because o_f me."_ I believed it now. I believed everything he said. They were dead, all of them, they died on their mission. And it was my fault. By being too weak to evade Ari, I sealed their fate, and had practically murdered them. They were dead. My family was all dead.

Because of me.

**Poor Igs. He's so messed-up and delusional by all this, he actually believes anything that Dr. Psycho says, and on top of that, he's convinced himself that he could have stopped it, and therefore it's his fault. Sigh. My poor, delusional, lonely blind bird boy. But, never fear, FANG is soon to be here! Fangalicious to the rescue! And, what's in store for the rest of The Flock and the Pack? More than just a mission, that much I can tell you. ;)**

**REVIEW! Pandorad luvles her reviewers! Let me know, was that chapter a little choppy? I'm not sure. :/**


	22. Numb

**Hey readers, pandorad24 again (I know that **_**you**_** know who I am, but this is at the beginning of every chapter, so). Anyway, we're going to have an all-boys chappie today, starting off with an Aaron POV, then Fang again, and of course, Iggy, and then even some Ari (the most lovable Eraser of them all! If I didn't think he'd eat me, I would so want to give him a hug). :D**

**By the way, unfortunately, NONE of you guessed the dream-dialogue correctly. It actually went, **_**"You're a monster!"**_** – Angel, **_**"Murderer!"**_** – Gazzy, **_**"You're disgusting."**_** – Fang, and **_**"I never want to have to look at you again!"**_** – Nudge. Really, if you look carefully, the answer was in the dialogue. You would expect Fang to be the only one that didn't shout, and Nudge's was the longest; Gazzy on the other hand is known for shorter exclamations, and by way of elimination, Angel's was the only one left. See? :)**

**DISCLAIMER: For future fics, I'm just going to put one at the beginning that will count for the entire thing, but for now, I don't own Maximum Ride. **

_~ Chapter 22 – Numb ~_

Why was it that every time I tried to do the right thing, tried to lead my family in the right direction, it always came back and bit me in butt? If I had just noticed the dozen huge mutants in my house before they could attack, my Pack would have been able to take them on, and we could've saved Iggy, who I had sworn to protect at all costs. Now look at us; I had allowed the Erasers to overpower me, and my entire family was captured. If Max's Flock hadn't saved us… We would have been goners for sure. And it would have been _my_ fault.

I sighed, opening my eyes and gazing at the stars above me. There wasn't much to see; this place, Salzburg, had too many city lights to make out much of anything in the sky, but I could faintly see a few constellations I recognized. Orion, Pisces, Leo… That one was my favorite.

I thought about The Flock, how they were free to take to the sky whenever they felt like – that is, the ones who still had wings – and how the rest of us were stuck here, on the ground. I wondered what it was like, flying; I would like to have that gift myself, for sure, but I had been taught to fight, not to run away from the threat.

My eyes narrowed. Yes, my father had taught me everything I knew. He was a whitecoat, and a lying, traitorous lowlife just like the rest of them. If only I had seen him for what he was sooner, Alana wouldn't have…

"Aaron! Hey, Aaron, we need to talk."

I sat up, and saw that Max had joined me on the roof. She had her wings out behind her, to balance herself, and she made her way easily to me and sat down. "Hey," I said, not meeting her eyes. I still couldn't shake the guilt of having lost her brother, when it was _my_ responsibility to watch out for him while her and her Flock were off saving the world or whatever. I still don't know what we were doing on this mission, it's not like we would be much use to them without their wings. Still, this was my chance to make it up to The Flock, and I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity.

"Aaron, I just want you to know…" Max was fiddling absentmindedly with the hem of her shirt, and I waited patiently for her to continue. There was obviously something on her mind. "I just thought you should know, that everyone makes mistakes. It's okay."

I stared at her. What was she saying? Was this her telling me that I was forgiven, even though I left her brother in the hands of Erasers? "Max…"

"Don't, because I know what you're going to say," she said, looking out at the city lights beyond our small motel. "You and Fang both, you think you're all to blame for what happened to Iggy." When I said nothing to deny it, she let out a huff and continued. "Look, Aaron, I know it's easy to blame yourself, but I've decided to just agree that it was no one's fault but the Erasers that did this, and get on with my life. We have more important things to focus on than who's responsible for a bunch of unfortunate coincidences."

Max stood and brushed off her jeans, and walked along the roof back to the rickety fire escape she'd come up from. Looking back at me, she said, "Are coming back in?" I shook my head, glancing up at the half-moon shining down on the city.

She was just about to make her way down the stairs, when I called out, "Wait, Max?" She looked back at me, and I gave her a reluctant smile. "Thanks." She smiled too, and nodded, climbing down the stairs. I heard her open the window to the motel room, and as it slid shut again behind her, I let my gaze drift back to the night sky.

Remembering Max's other brother, Fang, left behind in the forest, and Iggy, who may or may not be alive, I said out loud to no one in particular, "I hope they're both okay."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Sunlight was streaming through my eyelids, and I groaned, sitting up precariously on the branch, and opening them groggily. Ugh, I was so sore, from flying for so long and then sleeping on the unforgiving tree. I slowly rolled my shoulders and neck, hearing the joints crack, and I glanced out across the forest over to the big lab building. The bright morning sun gleamed blindingly off of the white outer walls, and the metal coils of barbed-wire fences glinted wickedly. My eyes narrowed. After all that's happened to him, _that's_ where my brother was being kept.

I unfolded my wings behind me to balance myself, and I swung my legs over the branch, shaking my head vigorously to wake myself up. I still felt exhausted, but I had to get moving.

Jumping down from the branch and landing roughly on my feet, I began to make my way through the forest to the middle of the island, where the lab building lay nestled amongst the trees. I began to form a plan in my head, to wait in the cover of the trees just outside the fence, and watch for a few hours to get an idea of what the guards covered in their rounds, and when they switched shifts; an organization this large was sure to have someone guarding the building, and I needed to be prepared for them. I couldn't risk getting caught any more than I had to; Iggy's life was on the line.

I soon reached the fenced perimeter, and slipped under the cover of the dense foliage, waiting, and studying the building closely for any signs of security. Stealth was second nature to me, and it was no surprise that when the guards first came around, they made no notice of me hidden amongst the trees and brush; but I was able to watch them, making note of the time on my watch, and what the guards looked like. Soon, when the guards had changed shifts a few times, I would be able to know the exact minute to make my move.

I would attempt the break-in at nightfall.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was back in my cage again. After I had calmed down, they had dragged me from the white room, and back into the dark. I was blind again. I saw nothing, and I felt nothing; it was as if I was completely numb. My family was dead. It was my fault. Is it possible to feel dead, and wish you were dead at the same time? Every minute I wished for death to come and take me. I didn't care where I might go, I just wanted it to be over, the suffering, the pain; I had felt so much of it already that I was beyond feeling.

I wished I still had my knife. Cutting hadn't worked the last few times, but I was desperate to feel _something_. And, if that still didn't work, there was always another purpose for my blade, something I hadn't dared do with it before. A slice to the neck. A stab at the heart. So many options, and they all sounded so good…

Listen to me, going on about how I wished I could die. If The Flock knew I was thinking these things… If The Flock knew… They were dead. All of them. And I was left behind to suffer.

But, isn't that just what I deserved? I killed all those kids. I killed my family. So, this must be it, the punishment for murderers; loneliness and an absence of feeling until I finally died.

_Please_, I thought, silently pleading with whoever it was that would eventually give me rest. _Please make it soon_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"The ties are broken; the mutant's fate is sealed. It belongs to me now."

Ari listened to the doctor, ranting on about his success with the fake "bombing accident" footage. He couldn't help but feel disgusted. The bird freak had already gone through enough to make him a complete wreck, and now this. He wasn't about to pretend that he actually liked Iggy, but making him believe that his family was dead, and that it was even _his fault? _That just seemed unnecessarily harsh.

Ari heard the heavy wooden doors swing open behind him, and he glanced back to see two of his fellow Erasers enter the office. One sneered at him as he walked past, and he addressed Dr. Gunther-Hagen with an over-pretentious air of importance. _Get over yourself_, Ari thought, as the Eraser proudly gave his report. "Sorry to bother you doctor," he said, "but someone was spotted hiding in the forest outside the east gate."

Ari's eyebrows rose in surprise, and the doctor straightened in his desk chair. "What did this person look like?" he asked immediately.

"He was just some kid, with black hair and clothes to match," the Eraser said, shouldering his rifle casually. "Looked pretty scrawny; maybe a shipwrecked tourist…?"

"No."

Everyone turned to Ari, and he scowled. Of course, leave it to those self-righteous sky rats to come thinking they could infiltrate the base like it was nothing, and make off with the little blindie without a hitch, fly off into the sunset with him and live happily ever after. Looks like he would have to remind them of reality yet again. Maybe this time he would rip off Mr. Happy's black wings… Wouldn't be much of a tough guy if he couldn't fly away like always, now would he?

"Ari," Dr. Gunther-Hagen said sharply, growing impatient. "Do you know the boy or not?"

Ari nodded. "He's one of The Flock, sir," he said. "The other older male."

At this, the doctor's expression grew thoughtful. "Hmm. Does it really think that it can retrieve the subject so easily? Why does it attempt this impossible task, when it is obvious that the risk is more than it's worth? The subject we have in custody is a liability in all aspects, and could not possibly be a valuable or efficient member in their group."

Ari shook his head. "It's not like that at all," he muttered, "not to them. The blindie is part of their happy mutant family, and they'll do anything to get him back, even if they die. That's the way they are, they never think about survival, it's always _"The Flock"_ this, and _"family"_ that. It's so typical of them to try this. Those idiots."

At that, Dr. Gunther-Hagen stood, his back to the room, facing the large window that overlooked the rest of the tiny island. "I see…"

"So," one of the guard Erasers said, picking at his monstrous teeth with one claw. "Do you want us to shoot the runt, or –"

"No." Dr. Gunther-Hagen spun around, and faced the Erasers with a malicious glare. "You will tell your squad to clear the path for the mutant; let it enter easily, with only a minor struggle. We don't want to scare it off if it thinks that something worse is coming." He was grinning like a maniac, and Ari instinctively took a slight step back. He hated it when his boss got like this, like a complete psycho. It was a little unsettling, to say the least.

"So… You just want us to let him into the building?" One of the Erasers asked uncertainly, nervously avoiding the doctor's eyes. Gunther-Hagen grinned wider.

"Let it have it's little reunion with the subject; I am worried that I may not have completely convinced the subject of it's family's deaths. Maybe when it actually sees the light fade from the other mutant's eyes face-to-face, it will be a little more willing to submit to me."

Ari gaped open-mouthed at the doctor. That's it, he was officially crazy. Did he really think killing Fang in front of Iggy would make him any more wiling to serve him? Just when Ari thought he was beginning to understand his boss…

"Be prepared to capture the mutant in the building. I can't wait to see the subject's reaction when it realizes it's brother will be joining it in a cell…"

**So, this story is really picking back up! You learned a little about Aaron's past, and Fang's plans of action. As well as Dr. Psycho's… Will Fang make it out with Iggy, or will they both be captured? What's in store for The Flock? Ooh, this is getting so exiting! I can't WAIT to write these next few chapters… :D**

**Please review! I love input more than chocolate, and every song on my play lists (okay, maybe not THAT much, but still), I love everyone that reviews! Like I told you guys before, those reviews give me a major case of the warm fuzzies (why do people call it that, I never feel fuzzy in the slightest…), and I wish long lives and cookies on everyone that takes the time to write a few words of appreciation for all my hard work. Thank you! :)**


	23. Reunion

**Alright readers, pandorad24 here with chappie 23. It took longer than I planned, I actually wanted to get right on this chapter, but Mormons have this conference thing on TV every six months that lasts all weekend, so I've been totally swamped. But, don't worry; this chappie will be a good one. :) Okay, this chapter will consist of The Flock/Pack first with a Max POV (as always), then Iggy (being his depressing self –sighs sadly-), and then Fang. Hehe, I've been waiting for this chappie for the longest time! There will be some surprises…**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm so done with this thing. "I don't own Maximum Ride". Pfft.**

_~ Chapter 23 – Reunion ~_

"Wow. Sure is… Big."

The Pack, along with The Flock and I were standing in front of some giant conference building we were led to by one of the addresses in the e-mail, and I was thinking, _how the heck are we going to find this Chu guy in that place? It's practically it's own continent!_ I didn't have high hopes, but The Pack looked psyched. I realized that their lives must have been pretty boring until we showed up, or rather, until _they_ showed up to save us. This was probably the only real action they've had since they escaped from their own School. Thinking about that, I decided to ask The Pack exactly where they came from, and how they managed to break out. Apart from that they were other mutants and they were all really nice, we really didn't know much about The Pack. That needed to change.

But, for now, we had to get into that building; Iggy and Fang were waiting on us. "C'mon guys," I called, rolling my shoulders back and taking a breath. "This is going to be a piece of cake." The rest grinned reluctantly, picking up on my newly confident attitude. I had two brothers who needed me, and I wasn't going to waste any time on this stupid "saving the world" business. Get in, kick evil butt, get out; that was my new motto. Okay.

With me leading the way and Aaron close behind, we marched up to the large building, strolling casually through the wide glass doors, and into a spacious, fancy lobby. Avoiding the reception desk, we crossed the polished tile floors over to the nearest elevator. The e-mail told us all we needed to know, right down to the level Mr. Chu would be on. Wondering absentmindedly how they had been able to supply us with all that detail, I pushed the button labeled "UP", and when the doors opened to admit us, we saw that there were already a few people inside. Aaron and I shared a look, silently deciding to split up, and The Flock and I filed into the elevator, leaving The Pack to find another way up. I let an eager Gazzy jam the button with the correct floor number, and the gleaming metal doors closed, trapping us in the tiny space with the other people inside, who all wore blank, uninterested expressions. I felt an unnatural pulling in my stomach as we lifted upwards, and the doors slid open again to the fourth floor.

We were instantly met by six men, all of which were Asian. The one in front smiled. "Why, hello Maximum. We've been expecting you."

Before I had time to react, to think, the men pulled guns on us, trapping us in the confined space of the elevator. My eyes darted around, searching frantically for an escape route, but there was no safe way out. The forms of the other people in the elevator all began changing, their faces elongating into half-snouts, fur sprouting up all over their bodies. The Erasers shot out clawed hands and grabbed us, pinning our arms to our sides, restraining us from any hope of escape. The six men joined us in the already cramped elevator, and one of them reached over and pressed _every single button_. The doors slid closed, and we began the unsettling trip up and down, slowly taking us all over the building. "Maximum," the man that spoke earlier said through a thick accent, smirking. "Did you really think you could trust someone you never even met, to lure you and your family all the way across the globe, expecting you to save the world? You are so naïve."

I struggled fiercely against the Eraser's hold, as the men continued pointing guns at us, and used their free hands to bring syringes from their pockets, each one tipped with long, dully glinting needles. My eyes widened, and I watched in horror, as Nudge, Gazzy, and finally Angel were injected, blank, confused expressions coming over them, before they all passed out.

"Maximum." I looked up just in time to see a wicked needle being plunged into my arm. The sliver of metal slid underneath my skin, and I was helpless as the man emptied the contents of the syringe, sending the unknown substance swimming in my veins. I looked back at the smirking man who had addressed me, and he chuckled softly. "I suppose you're wondering what this is?" He said, watching my horrified expression with amusement. "It is a type of poison; my latest creation. However, instead of harming the immune system, it attacks the brain. More specifically, memories. By the time it all comes back to you, it will be too late." I was slowly fading into subconsciousness, my brain fogging and my eyesight slipping into darkness. The last thing I saw was the Asian man's smirking face, and suddenly, I couldn't remember why I was there. I couldn't remember the faces of the people lying unconscious around me, or why I was in such a hurry to get back to others. Even my own name slipped away. Everything I knew, my mind, was completely blank.

Then everything went black.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I didn't know how much longer I could take it. Even though the air was thick with the insane screams and sobs of other mutants, I felt completely and utterly alone. I played it over and over in my mind, the deaths of everyone I loved. Angel, my sweet baby sister, The Gasman, my mini pyro, Nudge, the lovable motor mouth, Fang, my best friend, and Max, the leader, like a friend and mom to me my entire life. I had known these people for as long as I could remember, grew up in a nightmare with them, lived in freedom with them for a time, and loved them all as my family. I had fought alongside them, for them, preparing to put my life on the line and lose it for those five people that meant the whole world to me. I would have died for them. And now, they were all dead, _because_ of me.

I just wished, more that anything, to see them again. To tell them how sorry I was. The guilt and regret was tearing me apart, ripping me to pieces. Even when I thought that no more damage could be done, there was always worse pain. It never got better.

The more and more time dragged on and the more I was in pain, the more desperate I became for relief. _There has to be something sharp, anything_… Then it came to me. I didn't need my knife; I had other means of harming myself. I began slamming my elbows hard against the bars of my confined cage, sending pain shooting through the sensitive nerve there. There was a brief, precious moment of distraction, and I immediately started looking for more ways to beat myself up. I yanked on my overlong bangs, bit down hard on my wrist, drilled my knuckles into my ribs, banged my head on the top of the cage, punched myself in random places, and clawed at my skin with my fingernails, leaving scratches and even trails of wet blood.

I must have looked like I had gone insane, just like all the other poor souls trapped in here; and maybe I finally had.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

At long last, my watch read 8:45 – the guards were right now on the other side of the building, trading off shifts. It was finally time to get into action! I spread my dark wings, and took to the air silently, clearing the fence and landing softly right next to a door. I had seen the guards use this door several times, and knew that they didn't bother to keep it locked at all. As I expected, the door opened without resisting, and I was able to creep straight into the building. I was in!

Unable to keep a smug grin off my face for having slipped past security so easily, I searched the walls and found what I was looking for almost immediately - the fire alarm. Without hesitation, I reached out and pulled the alarm down, and an obnoxious loud beeping instantly started sounding through the building. I dashed into a bathroom, and slipped into a stall, locking it behind me. I would wait there until the building was cleared. I had considered the possibility that the scientists there might cart the experiments out too, but I quickly dismissed that idea; these creeps couldn't be any better than the whitecoats, and they would never risk their own skins for any of the kids suffering here.

I strained my ears, and after about twenty minutes, I was sure that I couldn't hear anyone left in the building. I cautiously walked out of the restroom, and, seeing that no one was around, flipped off the fire alarm. Glancing out the window to the parking lot, I saw with surprise that all the cars were gone. Did they seriously _leave?_ Then I realized, if they thought there was a fire and they couldn't find it right away before the fire department could show up, they wouldn't want to stick around to be discovered working with an illegal organization.

But, hang on; this was an island. There wasn't a bridge leading somewhere else, only this place and a few complex buildings that looked like apartments. There was no fire department, no government. No interference whatsoever. _So why would they leave?_

I began to feel uneasy, but I knew there was no going back now, and I sure as heck wasn't leaving with Iggy still here.

I quickly made my way through the endless halls, which became progressively more reminiscent of The School, with blank white walls and polished linoleum floors, and hundreds of heavy, unmarked doors throughout. I shivered, as the flashbacks started coming in vivid detail; me at five or six years old, strapped down to a metal table, being injected with drugs, me a few years later, running and running through a maze like a lab rat, panting from exhaustion, me when I was really little, clamping my hands over my ears as another experiment screamed in pain during it's last moments.

… No. That wasn't just a memory; I could actually hear screaming now, muffled behind another door. I dashed over to it, throwing it open. My eyes widened in horror.

Cages. Experiments. Hundreds of kids, all in identical metal cages, pushed against the walls of a long, filthy hallway. There was mold dotting the white walls splattered and smeared with blood and grime, and the shivering kids huddled in their cages screamed and sobbed loudly, adding their piercing noise to the foul air that smelled strongly of waste and blood and filth. I covered my mouth and nose with one hand, and placed the other over my stomach. Oh, gosh. I couldn't remember the last time I was in a more disgusting or horrifying place. I felt sick.

My eyes immediately began scanning the cages frantically for any sign of Iggy. I walked farther down the horrific hallway, searching for his reddish-blonde head, his pale face. Anything that told me my brother was here, and not somewhere deeper in the building, where I may never find him before the scientists returned.

Just then, I my eyes caught a flash of white inside one of the cages, and I ran up to it. As I got closer, I realized that the white I saw was actually a large feathered wing, one that seemed so very familiar…

"_Iggy!"_ There, stuffed inside a tiny cage in-between two screaming mutants, crumpled and shivering, was my brother, my best friend in the entire world. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Because there, on his back, were two giant _wings_, that spilled over the sides of the cage and lay limply on the dirty concrete floor, stained with blood and grime, but still wings, his old _wings!_

I rushed over to him and knelt in front of the cage, my mouth hanging open in disbelief as I took in the sight of his wings, and I glanced down at his face. My spirits racing with excitement at the sight of his wings plummeted. He was in terrible shape. He appeared to be unconscious, and all that I could see of him was badly bruised and scratched up. I saw long, angry pink scars on his back, just above the wings, that I knew weren't there when we were healing him at the Pack house. They had whipped him. Fury overcame my amazement, and I knew I had to get him out of there, fast; I was never going to let them hurt him again. "Iggy," I said softly, and I could barely hear my own voice of those of all the screeching kids in the room. Instead of trying to wake him up, I settled for trying to pry the lock off of his cage.

It took several minutes, but eventually the lock broke off, and I was able to open the door and grab Iggy beneath the shoulders, and carefully pull him from his cage. His eyes fluttered groggily open, and I held my breath. "Wha – no, not again, please!" He croaked hoarsely, and he began struggling to get out of my hold and scramble back into the safe confines of his cage, desperate fear in his blind eyes. I immediately tightened my grip on him, not letting him run from what he thought was another scientist come to hurt him, and I rushed to explain.

"Iggy, it's me, it's Fang! Calm down," I said, watching his face for signs of recognition. He appeared to have heard me, and he froze, his eyes widening. I slowly released my grip from under his arms, and he gaped at me with a shocked expression. Disbelieving, he lifted shaking hands to my face, and I allowed him to gently run his sensitive fingertips over my features, and into my dark hair. His expression became more shocked with each detail he took in, and he went over my face several times just to make sure. Finally, he drew his fingers back, and I waited patiently for him to say something.

"F… Fang," he said, and his weak voice was so filled with disbelieving happiness, that I felt a smile break over my face.

"Yeah, Ig. It's me. I'm gonna get you out of here, okay?" Finally, after not daring to believe it until I said that, Iggy smiled, a true, genuinely happy smile.

"It's you. Oh my gosh, Fang, it's really you! You're alive!" He exclaimed, grinning so wide I thought a crack might appear in his face. I grinned back, so happy to see him this way, when the last time I had seen his face it had been filled with pain.

"Well yeah, of course I'm alive," I said with a little laugh, "Why wouldn't I be?"

His face fell slightly, his eyebrows furrowing together. "You… I saw you. You got caught in an explosion. You died!" He said persistently, and my forehead creased as well.

"When did you see that? And… How?" I said cautiously, wondering where he had gotten that idea. He scowled, and I heard him mutter something under his breath. "What was that?" I asked, and his sightless eyes went back to me, the relief evident on his face.

"Nothing," he said, smiling again. "I'm so glad you're here." There was so much emotion in his voice, that I knew how much he really meant it. He was genuinely happy that I was there, not just because I had come to rescue him, but because he really wanted to see me. My heart swelled with guilt and selfish relief, grateful that he had forgiven me for everything I had done to upset and hurt him.

But, my guilt was slightly forgotten, as I brought my gaze back to the wings hanging behind Iggy. Apart from the little bit of dirt and blood that tainted the pure white and glossy black feathers, his wings looked as normal and healthy as they ever were. I reached out one tentative hand to stroke the feathers, and Iggy's grin grew the widest yet. "Noticed those, did you?" Iggy was beaming, and he stretched out his wings and flapped them a little to show me they were totally real, and that I wasn't just seeing things.

"How… How did you…" I couldn't get over Iggy's wings. The last time I saw him, they had been completely gone, torn right off his back. Now… They looked as perfect and unharmed as if Ari had never touched them.

"Dr. Gunther-Hagen re-grew them," Iggy said, and I noticed a dark expression pass over his eyes as he mentioned the doctor's name, before regaining their exited brightness. "They were a little sore at first, but now they feel the same as I always remembered them."

"That's… Wow, Iggy. I'm so happy for you," I said, "you got your wings back. But…"

"But what?" He said, continuing to test his wings happily.

I was looking at his injuries. He had no shirt, so I was able to see most of the damage just by glancing over him. There were cuts, and dark bruises, and also several crescent-shaped red marks that looked like someone had bitten him. "Iggy… When did this happen?" I asked, and when he looked confused, I placed a hand gently over one of the bruises. Color rushed to his cheeks, and he quickly looked down, hiding his eyes with his long bangs.

"'S nothing," he mumbled, bringing his wings around in front of him, wrapping himself in the feathers to hide his injuries. I frowned. This wasn't just about some scientist beating him up; this was something else. What had happened?

"Ig, c'mon, just tell me," I said, reaching out to move one of the wings aside, but his hand came up and swatted mine away.

"Please don't, Fang," he said, and as he looked back up at me I saw the desperation in his eyes; he was no longer grinning.

"Iggy, it's okay," I said softly, becoming more and more anxious with everything he said. What was my brother hiding? "You can tell me."

"You wouldn't understand," he said quietly, looking back down, and I knew something was seriously wrong. He had always come to me to talk, knowing that I was the _only_ one that would understand. I needed to get to the bottom of this, fast.

"Iggy, if you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm going to force it out of you," I said firmly, taking one of his hands. "I'm your brother and your best friend, and you can tell me anything. You _know_ that."

His blind eyes met mine exactly in that unsettling way of his, and he said, "How can I trust you when I don't even trust myself anymore?" I gaped at him, and he held his long arm out for me to see, palm-up. My gaze lowered to his arm, and my eyes widened in fresh horror.

Scars. Long, pink scars that stood out against the pale skin, and ran all the way from his wrists to his elbows, straight and evenly spaced. They were all perfect, and yet so, so wrong. I realized instantly what he had done.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and his hoarse voice sounded weak and shaky. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Oh… Oh, Iggy," I said softly, taking his wrist and examining the scars closer, a sickening feeling rising in my stomach. "Why?" It was a simple question, but I was afraid to know the answer. And, deep inside, I knew that I already did.

"It hurt so bad," he said shakily, avoiding my gaze with his bangs again. "I wanted it to stop. So I just…" His voice broke, and I saw tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Iggy…" I pulled him into my arms, and held my brother as he cried softly, his bare shoulders shaking with silent sobs. It was so hard to see him breaking down again, after he had just been smiling and so happy that I had come to take him from this nightmare. Apparently, even though he had his wings back, losing them once had left lasting scars; in more ways than one.

**So, that was the big reunion scene; apparently Iggy's decisions and pain are catching back up to him already. And after that happy fest, no less. Also, the question still stands whether Iggy and Fang will make it out, or if they've both fallen into a hopeless trap. Oooh, suspense!**

**By the way, no offense to Moe10 and your awesomeness, but I think I've found a better theme song for this fic. Yet another lucky You Tube find, it's "Wasteland", by 10 Years. The lyrics are beautiful and fit perfectly, if you know what to listen for; the first verse is like Iggy's angst in the beginning, when no one seems to see the pain they cause him joking around. The second verse is like when he's at the Pack house and they get the e-mail, the third verse is like when he cuts himself, as well as when he's at Dr. Gunther-Hagen's lab, and the choruses are really whatever you want to make of them. Really, it's a great song (definitely more my style than Snow Patrol, but I do love "Chasing Cars"), and I demand you to look up a lyric vid and listen to it. It shall not be a waste of your time, trust me.**

**Please leave a review! After boring chores and stupid kids at school, they absolutely make my day. :)**


	24. Trapped

**Yo, it's pandorad24, with chapter 24 (hehe).**

**Anyway, for this chapter there will first be an Aaron POV, and then Fang, and then Ari. Maybe Iggy, if I feel like the chappie needs it. We'll s**ee.

**DISCLAIMER: Guess what? I still don't own Maximum Ride.**

_~ Chapter 24 – Trapped ~_

"Aaron, they should have been here by now. And we took the _long_ way."

I sighed, checking my watch for the billionth time. Arabel was right; Max and the kids still weren't back, and I was starting to get worried.

"Hey," Axel said, grinning. "Maybe they went for a fly or something. You know bird kids - they just can't stay out of the sky."

"They wouldn't ditch us, Ax," I said tiredly, staring at the elevator doors that remained shut tight. Gosh, where _were_ they? It only took so long to use an elevator, and even if all those other people with them each had to go to a different floor, it shouldn't take them _twenty minutes_.

Suddenly, the silver doors slid open, and instead of four kids stepping out, we saw The Flock curled up together on the elevator floor, apparently unconscious. The other people that had been in the elevator with them were nowhere to be seen.

"Max!" I exclaimed, and we rushed into the elevator. Axel held the doors for us, and my Pack and I quickly and carefully dragged The Flock into the hallway. _Oh no, oh crap_, I thought anxiously, crouching beside little Gazzy and gently opening one of his eyes. No doubt about it, he was out cold; they all were.

"What happened to them?" Ash asked furiously, bending down beside Nudge's still form, worry written all over his face. "Who did this?"

"I don't know, Ash," I said, looking at Max's blank, sleeping face, my eyes narrowing. "But, if I had to guess, I'd say the people in the elevator with them." The ten-year-old nodded, and he brushed some dark hair away from Nudge's face. I could have sworn I saw tenderness in his eyes. Hmm.

"Well, are we just going to stand here?" Arabel demanded, her hands curling into fists. "I don't know about you, but I can't wait to give those creeps a piece of my mind."

Her twin nodded, and Axel added, "Yeah, it's about time we bashed some heads already."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "We have to stay with The Flock, and wait for them to wake up; we don't need any more missing bird kids." Everyone reluctantly agreed, and I bent down and picked up The Gasman, carrying the sleeping boy bridal-style. "Axel, Aro, and Arabel, pick up the rest," I said. "We need to get them somewhere safe."

Axel lifted Max into his arms and Arabel held Angel, but when Aro tried to carry Nudge, Ash immediately shoved him away. "Let me do it, Aro," he said, and he started to try lifting Nudge off the floor. It took some exertion, but he eventually had her gathered up in his arms and was carrying her down the hallway with a set, resolved look on his face. Looking back at us standing there, he said, "Well come on! We need to get them somewhere safe!" Axel grinned, and we followed the determined ten-year-old through the halls, walking out of the building with the four sleeping bird kids in our arms. _So much for the mission._

We found a little park nearby, and we set The Flock down on some benches, waiting for them to wake up. "I hope they're alright," Amber said quietly, and the way she was staring off into space made me think that she wasn't just talking about the unconscious members of The Flock with us. I sighed.

"I hope so too, Amber."

Suddenly, I noticed Max stirring in her sleep next to me, and I immediately started calling her name, getting her to wake up. "Max! Max! Wake up, Max." She sat up sleepily and opened her eyes, blinking as the bright sun hit her, and she turned to me. Her face looked blank, confused. "You alright, Max?" I asked anxiously, placing a hand on her forehead. "You don't have a fever… What happened? Max?"

She just continued to stare at me, her eyebrows scrunched together like she was trying hard to remember something. "I'm sorry… I don't know what happened," she said slowly, still looking at me curiously. "And who's Max? Am I Max?"

I gaped at her.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

It was a long time before Iggy stopped crying.

He sat up and wiped his eyes, sniffling a little, and he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, staring blankly ahead. "I'm sorry," he said shakily, wrapping his arms around himself.

"Iggy… Please let me help you," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder that still shook slightly. "I want to understand." I really did. I didn't know why he would do this, or how it made him feel better, but I wanted so badly to help him.

Iggy continued avoiding my eyes, shaking his head. "I don't know if you can," he said quietly.

"Maybe not," I admitted, squeezing his shoulder. "But I can try. I… I can't stand seeing you like this. I want to help you."

He looked up at me then, and he gave me a sad smile. "Thanks, Fang. Really. But I don't think I can talk about it right now."

I nodded. "Alright. How 'bout we get out of here, then?" I said, as there was a particularly loud scream from one of the cages next to us. "This place is really creeping me out." Iggy nodded gratefully, and I stood, taking his hand and helping him to his feet also. It was then that I noticed how weak he was, from being stuffed in a cage for hours on end, plus whatever heckish experiments the scientists forced him through, and probably a lack of sleep. He had to be exhausted, but his face showed that he was eager to be as far away from that building as possible. I didn't blame him.

We were just about to leave the room, when Iggy stopped beside me. "Wait," he said, turning back to face the rows of cages. "What about all the other kids?"

"What about them?" I said, trying not to sound alarmed. It's not that I didn't feel sorry for them, but I _really_ didn't like the idea of letting a bunch of crazed mutants loose. I mean… They seemed completely insane.

"Fang… I can't just leave them here," Iggy said quietly, and there was something in his eyes that made me wonder just what all he had been through while he was there. "I owe them that much."

I didn't understand what he meant by "owing" the deranged kids, but I knew that there was no denying Iggy, after all that he had been through. "Okay," I said, and he went back and knelt by one of the cages. He spoke in a soft, kind voice to the screaming mutant inside, as he began working on prying off the lock of the cage. I watched him break the lock off and open the door, coaxing the terrified child out with calm, gentle words. The kid was scared out of his mind, but he allowed Iggy to pick him up and hold the small mutant close to him, and he moved on to the next cage.

I couldn't help but watch in amazement at how gentle Iggy was with the kids. I had seen him this way with Angel before, but this was towards screaming and sobbing _insane_ mutants, some of which had horrible skin conditions where their flesh was rotting away, or some that had extra limbs or fur. It totally disgusted me that anyone could _do_ that to a child, and I just didn't want to be anywhere near the poor kids. But Iggy didn't seem to mind at all; he was treating the mutants like he would Angel, or Gazzy when he was younger. It was just really sweet, and I couldn't help but be blown away at how _selfless_ Iggy was to think to help them, when I had been so willing to just get the heck out of there.

I suddenly felt terrible for being so hesitant, and I immediately joined Iggy, freeing the kids from their cages and talking to them softly, coaxing them out. Eventually, when they saw that we weren't going to hurt them, they calmed and quieted a little. A lot of them still looked creepy, but I knew that beneath the skin they were just terrified little kids that had lived really horrible, traumatizing lives, and they needed help. Iggy was right; we couldn't just leave them there to suffer. Soon, we had freed over half of the mutants and were working on the last few, prying off locks and speaking in calm, gentle voices the entire time. We almost got them all out, too.

The door was suddenly banged open behind us, and before we could do or say anything, men in white lab coats and Erasers with guns poured in through the door, crowding the confined space of the filthy hallway. All the little kids began screaming in terror again, trampling over one another and lashing out at everyone they came in contact with, they were so crazed with fear. Iggy seemed frozen, unable to move, and he began quivering in his spot as the scientists and Erasers made their way angrily over to us, kicking the frenzied mutants aside and throwing them back into their cages. _No!_ I had to do something! They were never taking Iggy back, never, I wouldn't let them. "Hey!" I shouted over the noise, but they ignored it, one of the Erasers spinning Iggy and me around and shoving us forward into the wall at the end of the hallway, pinning us there while he took our wrists and chained them behind our backs with heavy handcuffs. The Eraser swung us around again to face the door, and pushed us roughly so we fell to our knees onto the concrete.

One of the men, dressed in a long white lab coat like the rest, walked up to Iggy and I, a smug expression on his face as he looked down on us condescendingly. He wore glasses and had dark, grayish hair, and by the way everyone had their attention turned to him, I assumed he was in charge. It must have been Dr. Gunther-Hagen. "Igneous," he practically purred, and Iggy's eyes narrowed hatefully. "Leaving so soon? But we were having _so_ much _fun_." He sighed with mock disappointment. "Ah, well. At least we were able to catch you before you go; all thanks to your brother here." He turned to me, and I gaped at him. What? What did I do? He chuckled darkly. "Silly mutant," he said, "did you really believe you could evade my security so easily? What a fool." Iggy made an angry noise in the back of his throat, and Gunther-Hagen turned back to him, grinning. "Ah, but no need to get upset; this is actually a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know your family a little better, Igneous."

Iggy's eyes widened, and he snarled at Dr. Gunther-Hagen furiously, "If you lay one hand on him, _I swear_ _I'll kill you!_" He was shaking with anger, and I was shocked at the defensiveness in his words. Did he really care about me that much? I had ruined his life!

Dr. Gunther-Hagen chuckled again. "Well, aren't we the violent one? Besides, if I recall, that already didn't work out so well for you once." He turned back to the Erasers and scientists behind him, and said calmly, "Throw them in one of the underground cells; make sure they are together. I wouldn't want to separate _family_."

Several Erasers came forward, and as one of them grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly to my feet, Iggy swung his foot around and knocked his legs out from under him, sending him crashing backward onto the concrete. "Stay away from him!" he shouted, as the other two Erasers came and yanked him up, and when he struggled, one brought his massive fist back and punched him _hard_ in the stomach.

"Hey, leave him alone!" I yelled, trying to tear away from the Eraser restraining me as Iggy was hit again, this time in the face, his head snapping to the side under the force of the blow, and a bruise began to form on his jaw. Iggy stopped struggling then, allowing the Erasers to drag him out of the room, with me being shoved along close behind.

We had been captured_. I'm sorry Iggy_, I thought, looking at his face full of fear and dismay_. I failed you, again. Please forgive me._

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari watched his boss, who seemed thrilled at how smoothly the capture of the other bird kid had gone, and was apparently exited about the prospect of having another mutant to toy with. Ari felt uneasy. Though he didn't know what his boss had planned for the two brothers, he knew it couldn't be anything remotely good.

"Now, Ari, the _real_ fun begins," said the doctor, leaning back in his office chair, watching the footage on the security camera gleefully, as Iggy and Fang were seen being shoved into one of the dank rooms called "cells" by everyone at the lab. There were no bars, no windows - just a heavy metal door and four concrete walls, with chains hanging from them to restrain the prisoners from each other. It looked so much like a dungeon, that the first time Ari went down there, he expected to see the skeletal remains of past mutant prisoners locked inside. It was enough to give even him the creeps.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen chuckled softly. "Yes, this _will_ be fun… Now that I have the other mutant, Igneous will have no choice to do as I ask, or else."

"Or else… What?" Ari asked anxiously, watching the doctor's face.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen laughed, a cold, cruel laugh that made the back of Ari's neck prickle unnervingly. "Or else, it's brother pays for it; with it's _life_."

**So, it turns out Fang and Iggy were caught after all. What? Did you really think I would just let them go? Pfft. That would be **_**way**_** too easy. :D**

**So now, what happens to The Flock, with their memories temporarily nonexistent? What about The Pack? Will it all be up to them? What's next for the mutant bros at the lab? Will they survive? (Ugh, I'm starting to sound like the commercial for a bad TV sitcom). Stay tuned!**

**Please, PLEASE review! I'm not sure how I did with that chapter… Please let me know how I did, because I'm not super-confident with how it turned out, but oh well.**


	25. Remember

**Hey guys, pandorad24 here with chapter 25. Um, this is kind of stupid, but it's apparently an issue for most of you guys, so I just want to make one thing clear – I KNOW that calling a group of big-cat hybrids a "Pack" wasn't the most ideal name for them. I'M AWARE. But, maybe I just wanted them to be called a Pack, okay? Not a pride, not a clan, nothing else. I'm sorry, I do appreciate your suggestions, but it seems like almost all of you are getting on to me about that. So… Yeah. They are a PACK.**

**Hm, now that that's taken care of, this chapter will first have a Max POV, then… Um, I'm trying to decide if I want Fang or Iggy. Maybe both? I guess we'll see – my story kind of goes wherever it wants, I just write it out. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: for those of you that are too dense to have figured this out already, I do not own Maximum Ride, and I'm sick and tired of saying it.**

_~ Chapter 25 – Remember ~_

Who was this guy staring at me? Who was I? My mind strained to supply me with this simple information, but I only came up with a whole bunch of nothing; I might as well have just been born that day.

"Max? What are you talking about?" The guy with the golden hair asked, looking freaked and anxious beyond words. There was that name again – _Max_. Was that me? Was that _my_ name? I shook my head, confused, wishing someone could give me these answers that should have come naturally to me.

"I… I told you," I said, my voice shaky, "I don't know what happened. Can… Can you tell me if that's really my name? Max? Please, I need to know." I was fighting back tears now, suddenly terrified at the thought that I didn't even know who I was. What happened? Who was the blonde guy in front of me? Where was I? _Who_ was I? Shouldn't I now these things? I was scared out of my mind. My empty, blank mind.

Mister blonde just looked at me, and slowly he turned to face someone to his right. "A – Amber?" he called shakily, and a girl, Amber, walked over to where I lay on a bench. She was lean and pale, with freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks, and almost white platinum-blonde hair and honey-colored eyes. As far as I knew, which was basically nothing at all, I had never seen her before. She looked worried.

"Max?" She said, crouching down beside the bench at my level, her face calm but her eyes full of anxiety.

"Yes? Is that my name?" I asked uncertainly, looking back at her.

"Yes," she replied, her eyebrows furrowing together. "Your name is Maximum Ride. Do you remember anything at all, Max?"

The fear gripping me tighter, I slowly shook my head no.

Amber exchanged a worried glance with mister blonde, and she turned back to me, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Do you remember The Flock?"

"Flock?" I asked, confused. "Like, birds?" Amber's face fell hopelessly.

"Excuse me, Max, but I need to talk to Amber for a second," mister blonde said, and he pulled Amber a little ways away over by some trees, anxiety written all over his face. I couldn't catch what they were saying, and I sat up on the bench, turning to my right. I saw a bunch of other kids staring at me with shocked expressions, and also several others lying on benches, apparently asleep. Did I know them?

"Someone please tell me what's going on," I said, letting the tears finally fall. It was so hopeless. I couldn't remember anything. _Maximum Ride_… That was my name. So far, that's all I knew.

Suddenly, my head exploded with pain, and my eyes widened before I fell to the ground, clutching my head and screaming. My brain was searing with the absolute worst pain I could imagine, and whether it was because my eyes were shut with agony or I had gone blind, I could see nothing, the unimaginable torture distracting me from all existence.

The only thing I was aware of, all I could hear, was an emotionless, incomprehensible voice speaking to me, sounding in all corners of my brain. _Hello, Maximum. I am your Voice_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

As we were shoved into the freezing, concrete room, all I could think of was how I had failed Iggy. In deciding to come down here on my own to save him, I had made myself responsible for my brother, and this was how I used my responsibility. I had let us both be captured. After all that I had just discovered about the suffering he had been through, after all the pain he had revealed to me in his heartbroken tears, after everything I had promised him, here he was again, trapped and restrained in this heckhole. And, again, it was all my fault. It would never end, would it?

The Erasers proceeded to release us from our handcuffs, only to lock each of our wrists into the ends of long, heavy chains, restraining us from each other on different sides of the room, before they left, laughing cruelly at our expense. As the heavy door slammed shut behind them, I discovered that the room was lit only by the feeble rays of light that made its way through the barred slit in the door. It was just enough for me to see Iggy's still form to my right, opposite the door, so that the filtered light left bars of shadow across his pale, bloodied face.

In his eyes, I could see all the emotions he hid from the rest of his features; the pain, and the fear, the hopelessness he felt at being caught again. It was all there, like an open book for me to read, and it all said the same thing – _How could you have failed me?_

Or at least, that's what I saw. I knew that he was too selfless, too willing to take the blame, to see the truth. The truth was that I _had_ failed him, and that he had every right to hate me, and to never talk to me again. But I knew that he felt none of that. No, right now he was probably finding some way to blame himself, and the pooling tears in his eyes were enough to prove my fears. Oh jeez, I never wanted for this to happen. I was supposed to be helping to _heal_ his pain, not break him further because of my seemingly never-ending mistakes and failures. When would I stop screwing up and finally help him like I wanted? I couldn't stand to see him in any more pain; I couldn't, after all that's happened to him. Jeez. Some brother I was.

_Just let me help you, Iggy_, I thought, watching in dismay as his tears began to fall. _Just give me time to fix this. I swear I'll get you out of here, Igs. I'm done failing you._

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was helpless as the stupid tears began rolling down my cheeks, running over my bruised jaw and hitting the floor, the object of my humiliation. I didn't want to cry anymore, especially not in front of Fang, but I couldn't stop the watery fear, pain, and burning guilt from pouring out of my useless eyes. It was all my fault.

I couldn't believe that I had let them take Fang. My brother, that, despite everything, had come to rescue me; only to be dragged into the nightmare as well. It was because of _me_ that he was here, soon to be suffering as I was now. _I_ was the reason he came, and it was to get to _me_ that Gunther-Hagen had taken him into his cruel clutches. My fault. _My_ fault…

The guilt was eating me alive. I had felt the pain of solitude, suffered what I thought was agony beyond all else; but I was wrong. This was so much worse. Even the guilt of murdering those little kids was nothing compared to this; at least then it was to save them from a worse fate. This time, there was no excuse. My brother was going to suffer, and it would be my fault.

For a long time, the only sound in the cold room was Fang's and my quiet breathing, and the occasional shifting of our positions on the floor, trying to find a comfortable way to sit on the hard, unforgiving concrete. I hated the way our chains would clink together and scrape along the floor, emphasizing our imprisonment and stolen freedom. Kind of ironic, that I had been given my wings back, only to be locked away and chained down, far from the reach of the sun and the open sky. Again the guilt struck me, realizing that Ari might as well have taken Fang's wings too, for all the use they would be down here.

I wondered how the rest of The Flock was doing. While I had been sobbing pitifully in Fang's arms, he had told me how we were going to leave this heckish place far behind, and find the others. We would all be together again. At least, that's what he told me, in an attempt to comfort me I guess. And, it was a comfort; before all hopes of escape had come crashing down with the appearance of Erasers and the man I hated so much. Fury boiled up inside of me, just thinking about that sad excuse for a human being. He was no more human than I was happy.

Just then, the heavy door to our concrete prison slammed open, breaking the near silence, causing both Fang and me to flinch as heavy footsteps stormed into the room. "Alright, freaks, the boss gave orders to have you two beat," said the loud, gravely voice of an Eraser, and I tensed. _Fang_… No, I wouldn't let them hurt Fang, they couldn't! They could do whatever they wanted to me, but when they pulled my best friend into this, someone was going to have a few broken bones; that was a promise.

I was about to tell the Erasers gathered in the room that if they laid a hand on my brother, they would have my foot up their furry butts, when Fang suddenly spoke up. "Leave him alone."

"What was that, runt?" An Eraser asked in amusement, the others chortling around him.

"I said, leave him alone," Fang repeated coldly. "You can do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt Iggy."

"Fang, no!" I said, and I felt a little betrayed when my voice came out shaky and cracked from crying recently. "Stay away from him, take me!"

"Well, sounds like both of you really want to feel my whip, huh?" One of the Erasers mused mockingly, and the rest barked in laughter. "You freaks really are gluttons for punishment." I heard the Eraser come forward, and Fang struggled as the dog tore off his shirt to whip him. The article of clothing was tossed aside, and I heard a snap as the whip came down over my brother's back, causing him to cry out in pain.

I was shaking with fury as they continued to whip Fang, and several more Erasers approached me and lashed their own whip across my chest. I tried to hold in my choked scream, but as always, I was unsuccessful, and the sound of my pain joined my brother's echoing throughout the room.

Within five minutes, both my chest and back bore dozens of new wounds from the stinging lash of the whip, and I'm sure Fang didn't look much better. The Erasers left soon after, once they had given us a few bruises for our trouble, and Fang and I were alone again in the cold room. I knew that it would be the first of many beatings in this new prison 'cell'.

"Iggy?" Fang moaned weakly from across the room, and it killed me to hear the pain in his voice. _I_ had caused this.

"Yeah, Fang?" I answered in a whisper, not wanting him to hear the hurt in my own voice. I would be fine, but I knew he would feel guilty over me. We were both like that, always quick to carry the blame; but this time, I deserved it.

"I'm sorry we're stuck here," he said, and I heard his chains clinking as he was struggling to pull himself off the floor. "It was all my fault. I'm a failure as your brother."

"No, Fang," I said, horrified to hear him talk like this. "Listen, don't you dare blame yourself for this, okay? You don't have to believe me, but if it's anyone's fault, it's mine. You're here because of me. And you got hurt…"

Fang gave a half-hearted little laugh. "This is nothing. We've both been through worse, at The School."

"Yeah, but that was because of the whitecoats," I pointed out, "Not because I needed rescuing. You should never have ended up here. All the same…" I paused, trying to find the right words. "In a way, I'm glad you're here, Fang. You… If you hadn't shown up… I don't know if I would've given myself much more time."

There was a long, painful silence, while Fang decided what he thought about that. I didn't really want to talk about my self-injury or plans to commit suicide to him, but he said he wanted to help me, and I knew I desperately needed help. After several minutes, Fang spoke.

"I promise I'll help you, Iggy. Whenever you need to talk… I'll be here. Just like old times, right?"

I cracked a reluctant, slightly bitter grin. "Yeah. Just like old times."

**How was that? Poor Flock, with their memories wiped, but now Max has The Voice to help her recovery just a little. Or drive her insane… Meanwhile, Fang and Iggy are suffering at the lab, both wallowing in guilt. What else is new? I'll tell you, though, the worst of their pain is yet to come… Something I'm both looking forward to and dreading. Yeah, me, dreading putting these two in pain? The apocalypse must be coming…**

**Send me a review! I luvles those reviews! :D**


	26. Discussing

**Hey readers! Yup, it's pandorad24 again, and I'm here with chapter 26, of course. Okay, so first we're going to have an Aaron POV, then… Um… Fang? Or perhaps Iggy (I really need to plan these things out before I start). But after that, there will definitely be an Ari POV (see, I'm not completely clueless). Okay, enjoy, I guess.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own.**

_~ Chapter 26 – Discussing ~_

"Amber, this is not good."

"She doesn't remember anything, so yeah, I would classify that as very not good."

I couldn't believe this. Max had just forgotten _everything_. Who we were, her Flock, even her own _name_. How was that possible? One minute, she was the leader of this mission, the next, she needed help just figuring out her identity. Did she even know she had wings on her back? It was unlikely, if she didn't remember her mutant family. Jeez. This was _not_ good.

"What are we going to do, Aaron?" Amber asked worriedly, her honey eyes looking strait into mine trustingly for direction. Honestly, I had no idea, but of course I couldn't tell her that. Sigh. Sometimes it was a real job, being the leader, the one everyone looks up to and expects the answers from. I was about to tell her that we would just have to wait for the rest of The Flock to wake up before we decided on any plan of action, when there was a sudden, piercing scream over by the benches.

It was Max.

"Max!" I gasped, and Amber and I ran over to her restless form on the ground, still screaming and clutching her head.

"What happened to her?" Axel shouted over the noise of her shrieks, and the entire Pack gathered around her, looking scared and anxious.

"I… I don't know," I said, continuing to watch helplessly as the bird kid screamed and writhed in pain on the ground. Then she just went limp, apparently unconscious but still breathing heavily. I had no idea what to do, except for to pick her up and place her carefully back on the bench. We all watched her face expectantly.

"Aaron… Will she be okay?" Ash asked in a soft voice, his little sister peeking around him at Max with wide, blue eyes.

"Of course she will," Amber answered him, patting his shoulder reassuringly, but her face still showed signs of doubt and anxiety. Oh, jeez, what were we going to _do? _

We were all still watching Max, when there were signs of stirring from the rest of The Flock sleeping on the nearby benches. "Think they lost their memories too?" Arabel asked, and I nodded grimly.

"Most likely. I think that was the point of the attack in the elevator, to just wipe their memories clean so they couldn't complete the mission."

"Do you really still think there ever _was_ a mission?" Aro asked quietly, and we all turned to him in surprise. Aro hardly ever talked, just nodded in silence. What was he talking about?

"What do you mean?" Amber asked, and he scowled.

"Come on, don't you think that it was at least a _little_ coincidental that, _just_ after Iggy was attacked, they got sent that e-mail? Leading them _away_ from Iggy? And, we were also captured, and brought where? The _exact same place_ The Flock was sent to. They just wanted us away from the house, away from Iggy, and with The Flock so that we were all in the same place; easier to keep in check."

We were all silent as we processed Aro's theory. It seemed very likely; after all, that Eraser Travis _had_ said he only wanted Iggy… Aro continued, on a roll now. "Now, they took The Flock's memories, breaking the ties between them and Iggy; and also the ties between The Flock, buying them even more time. So, where does that leave Iggy after all this? Alone. Vulnerable to capture. Yes, whoever these guys are, they've played their cards real well; and we fell for it."

With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I realized he was completely right. We fell for their little game, and now The Flock had lost all their memories. On top of that, Iggy was certainly captured.

"But wait – what about Fang?" Arabel said, and Aro expression was grim.

"Well, let's just hope he figured it out before we did, and he's on Iggy's trail."

Amber nodded, and she said so softly that I wasn't quite sure I heard her, "Please bring him back to us, Fang."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I shifted my position on the hard, cold floor of the cell again, wincing as the lash wounds from the whip continued to throb with stinging pain. It had been several days since I had been whipped before, and I had forgotten how much it hurt. But still, I wasn't worried about me; I was much more concerned with how Fang was doing. He was trying to hide his pain from me, but I knew he was having a hard time. I couldn't stand the guilt. He got hurt because of _me_. "Fang?" I called hoarsely, turning my head to where I heard his heavy breathing. "Are you okay? Tell me the truth."

He paused a bit before answering. "I've been better," he admitted. "But don't worry about me, Iggy. What about you? Are you okay?"

I shrugged. "It still stings a little, but I'll be fine."

"That's not what I meant," Fang said quietly. I could sense him looking at me with concern, and I grimaced. He obviously wasn't letting this go. "Can you please talk to me, Iggy?" He pushed, his chains scraping along the floor as he scooted closer to me. "I know it's hard, but it won't get easier until you tell someone. Please, you know I would never judge you for something like this. You… You were going through some really tough problems, and you just didn't know what else to do. I'm not going to get onto you for feeling hurt, Iggy. We've all had our lowest times, everyone's been desperate. You… You just reached the point where there were no other options before anyone had a chance to save you, but I'm going to try to do that for you now, even if I am a little late. Please, Iggy… Just let me help."

I was surprised by the amount of concern and understanding in his words, and the fact that he would be so accepting about something that probably should have disgusted him made me give in. I knew that he was right, that it wouldn't get any easier until I got it all off my chest… But it was still hard to confess my deepest secrets to him. I felt strangely vulnerable, as I began to tell him how I had ran into the forest, and how I had remembered that kid from The School… And then how I had made the first two cuts, using the knife Jeb had given me, what seemed like decades ago. Fang was quiet and didn't interrupt, listening and taking in everything I said.

"… And then, that night was… Really bad. I... I cut again. And then again when I woke up. During breakfast, I got really… Upset, and I ran into the woods again… I was… I was a wreck. I cut a few times… But it didn't help." This was unbelievably hard. I forced myself to keep going, to just spill all the secrets of my self-destruction to Fang, the whole time expecting him to turn and be angry for what I had done. But he never did. "And then, that's when I started hurting myself again… You saw the marks… Well, I guess I must have passed out… And that's when you found me." I exhaled in relief at being finished, and Fang was silent for a few minutes, processing all I had told him.

"Iggy… Can you explain to me _how_ it makes you feel better? Why you do it?" Fang asked quietly after a little while, and there was a new sort of sadness in his voice. "You don't have to now, I know it's hard for you to talk about it…"

"No," I said, shaking my head grimly. "I want to get this over with." Fang was silent, waiting patiently for me to start, and I took a deep, calming breath. This was going to be harder, but I was just going to have to explain if he was going to help me. "Okay, well… I do it, because… It's a distraction. It almost numbs everything else, but it also reminds you more than anything that you're still alive… And I didn't want to die, I was so desperate to live that I resorted to destroying myself… But even that sometimes wasn't enough." I was shaking now, stumbling through the words and trying to somehow express the feeling that self-injury gave me… It was so hard to explain, and even though it seemed so simple when I was doing it, it made everything so much more complicated afterward. I just hoped Fang would understand.

"When you do it, it just feels so… _Good_… And then you realize what you've done, and it breaks you apart… But you can't stop. You just feel like there's no alternative, and you have to feel the pain, you just want so badly for it to get better that it only gets worse… The relief is only temporary. What it does to the way you think, how you feel about yourself… The destruction goes so much deeper than just a mark on your skin. But then it becomes an addiction, and you just dig yourself even deeper, and it feels like there's no way out… I wish… I just wish I could stop." My voice broke and I stopped there, not allowing the tears to escape. I didn't want to cry anymore.

Fang just continued to sit in silence, and for a few, devastating moments, I thought that he had finally decided that I was a hopeless cause, but then he spoke, so quietly I almost wasn't sure I'd heard him. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" I asked, turning to him but keeping my eyes hidden behind my bangs. "I don't want pity, Fang."

"I know you don't," he said just as softly, and his voice sounded so tortured I looked up at him in concern. "It's just that… I never wanted to cause you so much pain like this. It's killing me, what I've pushed you to do to yourself. If I had known it was that bad, I never would have left you alone there. I'm so, so sorry."

"Fang, it's okay," I said, listening to his voice filled with pain, and guilt consumed me again. "I'm the one that should be sorry, I shouldn't have told you all that."

"No, Iggy, I'm glad you did," Fang said. "I wanted to know. Did it help, talking about it?"

"Yeah," I said quietly, looking back down. "It really did. Thank you, Fang."

It really was a relief to get everything off my chest. I felt drained and exhausted, but I knew that I was slowly on my way to healing. _Maybe it will get better_, I thought, and I couldn't help but smile a little. It was going to be hard, and painful, but now I knew that with Fang's help, I could eventually heal. With that comforting thought, I closed my eyes and let myself drift off to sleep, knowing that it would eventually be okay. _It will get better_…

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari didn't feel right about this. Like everyday, he was in Dr. Gunther-Hagen's office (being the boss's favorite had it's privileges), watching his face as the doctor looked at the security screen. Gunther-Hagen had been staring at the same screen for an hour. Ari knew which room he was watching, he didn't have to ask; it was the holding 'cell' for the two bird freaks.

What unsettled him though, was the look on the doctor's face as he watched the screen. It was… Curious. Almost… Hungry. It was really starting to creep him out. "Uh… Dr. Gunther-Hagen?" He said, steeling his nerves.

"Hm?" His boss said absentmindedly, not looking up from the screen.

"Well, I was just wondering… Uh, why you're staring at the fr – err, the subjects like that, sir." The doctor looked up from the screen.

"Why? Well, it's because they fascinate me, Ari," he said, smirking. "And, they were my creations after all."

Right. Ari remembered Dr. Gunther-Hagen explaining this to him a while ago, telling him how the formula to construct the bird freaks was his idea, and how Itex stole it from him. That's why he hated them so much. Ari knew he would do anything to have the entire Flock for himself, and to use them how he now believed they should be used – to destroy Itex, for revenge. Ari thought he was overreacting just a little; they were only mutant kids with freaky wings, why go to all the trouble of getting so mad at Itex for stealing them? But still Dr. Gunther-Hagen insisted that they were meant to be his greatest weapons, cold-blooded killing machines as soon as they were broken to his will, indestructible.

_Yeah, right_, Ari thought with a smirk, _the little blindie looked anything but indestructible while I was sawing off his wings_. He no longer felt guilty for what he had done, now that the freak had gotten his precious feathers back. But still… There was something didn't like about the way his boss was looking at the security screen. It made him uncomfortable, and he almost felt scared for the freaks. What was in Gunther-Hagen's head?

"Ari, you know that I must break the subjects," the doctor said, looking back up at him. "The other male I'm not as concerned with, but Igneous – he will take more work. He despises me, but doesn't yet fear me - if he has no fear, than he will continue to fail to cooperate. I can't have that."

"So… What are you going to do?" Ari asked apprehensively, almost not sure if he wanted to know the answer. Dr. Gunther-Hagen chuckled darkly.

"Nothing you need be concerned with," he said casually, but the grin on his face was cruel and full of hunger. "It will be between me and Igneous."

Okay, now he was just extremely creeped out by his boss's behavior. This wasn't normal, unpredictable psycho Gunther-Hagen – this was… Something different. Something scary, cruel, sadistic. And he didn't like it one bit.

The doctor finally switched off the security screen and rose from his chair, walking past Ari to the door. "Take care of things around here for a bit, Ari," he said, before stepping out into the hall. "I'm going to take a break for a couple hours."

Ari nodded, the uneasy feeling rising in his stomach and making him feel sick as the doctor left the room. He didn't know what his boss had planned for the freaks, but whatever it was, he knew that he definitely didn't want to be them right now.

**Alright, so there was definitely a lot of discussing in that chapter (hence the name). Aro was FINALLY able to figure out what was going on, so now at least The Pack is onto Dr. Psycho's evil plans. Fang and Iggy had an emotional little chat (quite emotional – sorry if it was OOC, but I just wanted to get all those feelings out there, and it was sweet, so). And now Gunther's getting even creepier… By the way, I just last night figured out a good reason for him wanting The Flock for himself, so there's your answer, flYegurl. So yeah, Dr. Gunther-Hagen has some not-fun stuff planned for Iggy, obviously. What do you think it'll be? You might be surprised… Ugh. The next chapter may take a little longer to post than these last few, 'cause it's certainly going to be difficult… Wish me luck.**

**Please review! Seriously, I honestly can't express how much those little reviews mean to me. Especially the detailed ones! I really like and NEED to know how I'm doing, I want to be a professional author one day and I need feedback on my skills, if I have any. Please give me constructive criticism, suggestions on how to improve, even how much like the story. Just send me a comment please! :D**


	27. Innocence

**Hey guys. Yup, it's pandorad24, ready with chapter 27. Okay, this one's going to be a little different than the last dozen or whatever, 'cause we won't be having any Flock/Pack action. There will be a Fang POV first, then Ari, and finally Iggy. This is going to be a LONG chappie.**

**By the way, everyone should know that flYegurl helped me out a lot with this scene. I don't know how it would have turned out without her. So, she's awesome, and you can give her a big thank-you for giving me all the advice I needed for this to not end up a total fail. Now, err, I feel I need to give you this…**

**WARNING: This chapter contains rape. Nothing graphic or descriptive, I just don't want to throw that on you without any warning, so just be aware and stuff… Okay. On with the story.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own.**

_~ Chapter 27 – Innocence ~_

I was glad that I had been able to help Iggy. I never thought it had been so bad for him, and I hated that because of me he'd been in pain, but maybe now things would get better, for the both of us. Even if we were still captured, I could help Iggy heal, and he would eventually be okay. I had to believe that. After all, what more could this Gunther-Hagen guy do? Nothing I couldn't help Iggy with, because he trusted me, he always had.

It felt so good, knowing that I could help Iggy, that even the guilt of my failures faded somewhat. I let out a little sigh, and glanced at my brother's sleeping form across the dark room. My expression softened when I saw his face. It was calm, serene even, all the pain and horror of his past smoothed out in rest.

I was only two months older than Iggy and didn't really think of him as a younger brother, but something about seeing him like this made my protective instincts flare. I couldn't ever let these people hurt him again; I would keep him safe, I had to.

I was still watching Iggy's face, when the door suddenly creaked open, bathing the dark room in artificial light. I turned my head around to see who it was, and a low growl built in my throat when I saw Dr. Gunther-Hagen's looming silhouette in the doorway. Of course it had to be _him_. I heard him chuckle darkly, and I scowled. "What do you want?" I snarled, my hands curling into fists of anger.

The doctor simply ignored me, walking past where I sat in my chains, standing in front of Iggy instead. He flung out his foot to kick Iggy in the stomach, grunting a short "Wake up."

Iggy's sightless eyes fluttered groggily open, and he groaned as the pain from the kick registered in his brain foggy from sleep. "What...?"

"Igneous, I see that you're awake," Gunther-Hagen said, smirking. Iggy recognized the voice immediately, and his teeth bared slightly in hostility, all rest forgotten.

"What are you here for?" Iggy hissed, obviously not intimidated by the scientist, glaring at the man unseeingly with hate burning in his eyes. I had never seen him like this.

Gunther-Hagen only smirked. "Well, if I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise," he said, and Iggy scowled.

"Enough games," he spat, "If you're here for me get on with it, but if you want Fang, forget it. You aren't going to lay a hand on him unless you want my fist in your mouth."

At this, Dr. Gunther-Hagen chuckled again, his cruel eyes glinting with anticipation. "My, such bold words, Igneous. But, why would I lay a hand on your brother, when I can touch you?" Before I realized what he could mean by those words, Dr. Gunther-Hagen placed his hands on Iggy's bare chest, causing him to shiver visibly.

"What are you – "

The doctor silenced Iggy by clasping a hand over his mouth, and he reached down to Iggy's jeans, proceeding to undo them… Iggy's eyes widened, and his foot shot out and kicked Gunther-Hagen in the face, scrambling backward against the wall. "What the heck are you doing?" He yelped, immediately buttoning his pants again.

I was shocked. My gaze flickering from Gunther-Hagen to Iggy, I realized what the doctor was here for; and it infuriated me beyond belief. No, there was no way I was going to let this happen! But, before I could move, Dr. Gunther-Hagen looked back at Iggy, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Igneous, you _will_ submit to me, or your brother over there will get the same," he said coldly, and Iggy's eyes grew even wider. He didn't move, as Gunther-Hagen approached him again, skimming a hand along Iggy's arm, tracing the scars.

Iggy seemed petrified. After he'd heard Gunther-Hagen's threat against me if he didn't cooperate, all the fight had left him, and he just sat in his chains, letting the doctor touch him. I watched in horror as Gunther-Hagen removed Iggy's remaining clothes, followed by all of his own, and proceeded to explore my friend's body freely, violating unspeakable places with rough hands. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing, the shock of the situation paralyzing me. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. Oh my gosh. My brother… My brother was being… No. I had to snap out of it! My brother was being raped right in front of me, I had to do something!

"Hey!" I shouted, "Get off of him you creep!" I lurched forward to tear the man off of my friend, but my chains held me back, the jingling noise they made like a mocking laugh. No, no! I had to help Iggy! I threw myself against the chains, but they were cold and relentless, restraining me from my petrified brother. Dr. Gunther-Hagen still hung over him like a disease, stripping him of his pride just as carelessly as he had his clothes, smirking smugly as he looked over Iggy's trembling skin. I fought so hard against the stubborn chains, the unforgiving metal rubbing my wrists raw as I tried desperately to reach my friend, but I knew that it was hopeless. No matter what I did, I couldn't save him from this humiliation.

I continued to struggle somewhat half-heartedly against the chains, refusing to give up on my brother, but the nagging voice in the corner of my mind told me not to waste my energy on the useless effort. I was losing the battle, and all I could do was watch helplessly.

The thought crossed my mind that Iggy probably didn't want me to look, and I was about to turn away to give him the privacy he deserved, but a piercing cry of pain from my brother made me freeze. I suddenly felt overwhelmingly sick, as Iggy screamed and tears of pain and humiliation began to stream down his gritty face, falling to the floor to join the blood now running down his legs… I swallowed thickly, silently cursing the man who was causing the pain, who was hurting and humiliating Iggy so badly, all with a cruel, uncaring smirk on his face.

It disgusted me that Gunther-Hagen could do this without a trace of guilt, and I looked back at Iggy's tear-soaked face. His pale cheeks were burning with shame and his eyes filled with pain as he let out another choked scream, his shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs. It was heartbreaking to watch.

It went on like this for a long time. Eventually, Iggy's screams faded into nothing but silent tears as Gunther-Hagen continued to work over him, all the fight leaving his eyes as he trembled on the floor, blood still rolling down his punished form. He just lay there, unmoving, his face blank and his eyes distant as if he were trying to ignore what was being done to him. But the tears continued to flow numbly out of his unseeing eyes, and except for that and the soft tremors that ran through the arms and legs that supported him on all fours, he looked completely lifeless, dead and still.

I knew, that after all he had been through, this was finally the last straw. This was the breaking point. My brother would never be the same again.

With that thought, the tears that had been gathering in my eyes began to slip steadily down, my shoulders slumping in defeat as I gave up my struggle. This time, I truly had failed Iggy. I couldn't save him now. After the little progress we made, the temporary relief I had given him, he had finally broken beyond repair. He couldn't take anymore. I had failed him.

A sob escaped my throat, and with a shaking voice I spoke softly to Iggy, in a weak attempt to comfort him. "It'll be okay Ig, it's all going to be okay." I couldn't think strait, only half-aware of the words I was saying, empty promises whispered like prayers to my suffering friend. Dr. Gunther-Hagen only laughed cruelly, continuing to hurt Iggy mercilessly, and I burned with hatred for the sadistic scientist. What was the point of all this? Why did he want to give Iggy pain? What did my brother ever do to deserve _this?_

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor straitened up and picked his clothes off the floor, dressing himself with a smirk. Iggy collapsed from his unstable bent position, curling up weakly on the cold floor and squeezing his eyes shut, forcing out another wave of tears.

"From now on, you are mine, Igneous," Gunther-Hagen purred, crouching to Iggy's level again and grinning at his tears. "My little pet…" He reached out and stroked one of Iggy's wings, causing him to flinch violently and pull the feathers painfully tight against his back, shuddering. The doctor seemed pleased by the reaction, and he stood back up, gathering Iggy's tossed clothing in his hands. "You won't be needing these anymore," he said, smirking. "Only spoiled pets wear clothes; and I wouldn't want to spoil you, Igneous, now would I?" My eyes narrowed in anger, and Gunther-Hagen chuckled darkly.

"I will be back to play with you again soon, my pet," the doctor said coldly, before turning and leaving the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Iggy and I in darkness again.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari's mouth was hanging open in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed on the security screen. He was horrified and repulsed beyond belief; Dr. Gunther-Hagen had just raped Iggy, brutally and without mercy, and now he was… Coming back. He was walking towards his office. Ari jumped up from his boss's chair and switched off the screen, moving to stand beside the desk, just as the doctor entered the room. "I expect you took care of things well while I was on break?" Gunther-Hagen mused, taking his seat at the desk. Ari swallowed with difficulty.

"Yes sir." Ari tried to forget what he had watched, but the disturbing scene played over again in his mind, not allowing him to shake his disgust. He needed to get out of there, away from Gunther-Hagen; he couldn't bear to be in a room with a man that could just so casually rape a person, mutant bird freak or not.

"Uh, I would like to have permission to get the rest of the day off, sir." He said, glancing over at his boss.

"That's fine," Gunther-Hagen said uninterestedly, going through some of the papers on his desk.

"Thank you, sir," Ari mumbled, and he left the room quickly.

Walking briskly down the halls to his suite, there was a nagging voice in the corner of his mind that told him he couldn't just leave Iggy the way he was, knowing what had happened to him. He still didn't like the freak, but he knew he would have to pay karma back somehow for what he had done in that cave.

Groaning to himself, he turned around and headed towards the underground cells instead. He began forming a plan of how to help Iggy in his head, as he climbed into the elevator that took him down to the long hallway that held all of the cells. Unlatching the door to the bird freak's cell and pushing it open, the first thing he saw was Fang's surprised expression as he turned to look at the Eraser, which was quickly replaced by a snarl. "What do _you_ want?" He growled, defensively placing himself between him and Iggy as much as the chains would allow. "Come to rip off his arms now, or just finish what you started in that cave?"

Ari sighed. "Believe it or not, freak, I'm here to help out your brother." Fang snorted.

"Of course you are. And why the sudden change of heart, dog?"

For that, Ari had no answer, so he just stepped past the furious mutant to get a look at his brother instead. He couldn't help feeling disgusted. The blind freak was barely conscious and completely naked, just how the doctor had left him, and he still had blood running down the backs of his legs from when Gunther-Hagen had hurt him. He had angry red lines over his hips and thighs, and tear tracks along his gritty face. All in all, Iggy was not in very good shape. Ari doubted whether he could even stand up with an injury like that.

Ari stepped cautiously forward and laid a large hand on Iggy's shoulder, gently shaking it to wake him from his daze of pain. Iggy's eyes fluttered a little, but otherwise he didn't move. "Wake up blindie," Ari murmured, and Iggy seemed startled at the sound of his gravelly voice, his sightless eyes flying open, and his shoulder flinching away from the hand. "Y... You," he mumbled, starting to shake. "You get away from me…" He pulled his wings even tighter to himself, curling up on the ground, his eyes full of terror as he stared sightlessly at the young Eraser.

Ari sighed. He was worried about this; he knew that Iggy would have a very hard time trusting him, what with the whole cutting-his-wings-off-violently thing, not to mention the state he was in now, hurt and terrified. "Look fr – uh, Iggy, I'm not going to hurt you," Ari said in his best attempt at a reassuring voice, but Iggy didn't move.

Sighing again, Ari turned, and addressed Fang instead. "Can you calm him down or something?"

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" the raven-haired mutant hissed, and he glanced worriedly past Ari at his trembling brother on the ground. "Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I guess that if you wanted to hurt him you would have already, so…" He looked back up at Ari, desperation and anxiety in his eyes. "Please help him. Please, I can't stand to see him in pain like this."

Ari's eyes widened in surprise at the acceptance, and he nodded slowly. Fang turned back to Iggy, talking in a soft, soothing voice. "Igs, listen to me, I know it's hard but you have to trust Ari. He's going to help you…"

"No, not him," Iggy groaned, closing his eyes and curling up tighter into a pitiful, trembling little ball of pale skin, tears of pure terror beginning to stream down his face. Ari had never seen him like this. Even in the cave, he'd at least retained a little dignity; was it really that bad?

"Ari, let me go with him," Fang said, not taking his eyes off his brother. "I can keep him calm, just let me go with him."

Ari nodded reluctantly, deciding that nothing else would keep the freak quiet, and undid Fang's chains, muttering "Don't try anything, you know I wouldn't hesitate to shoot." Fang just nodded, and he rushed to Iggy's side, placing his hands gently on his brother's shoulders.

Iggy yelped with fear, flinching away from Fang's touch and shaking like a leaf. "Don't… Don't… Please."

Fang withdrew his hands immediately, frowning. Getting the message, he settled for speaking softly to his brother instead. "It's okay Iggy, I won't touch you, we just want to help you, that's all." Iggy nodded, but still he didn't move, aware of Ari's presence in the room. "Ari won't hurt you Iggy, I swear, he's just going to help you now," Fang said, before looking up, sending a glare at the Eraser.

"If you lay a hand on him with any other intention than to help, I _will_ kill you," he hissed, his eyes cold and dangerous. Ari felt the urge to take a step back, but he resisted; he didn't want this freak to think that he was intimidated by him. No way.

"Give me your coat," Fang said suddenly, and he held out his hand expectantly. When Ari didn't move, he growled impatiently, "Some time today please." Ari reluctantly slipped off his large leather coat, and Fang took it, draping it over Iggy, who flinched again, but then calmed down slightly with something covering him.

"So, what now, dog?" Fang asked, looking at the Eraser.

"What?"

"You had something in mind, didn't you?"

"Oh… Yeah," Ari mumbled, taking out a pair of handcuffs. Fang looked at them suspiciously, and Ari sighed. "I can't just let you roam free around this place; you are still a prisoner, don't forget it." Fang looked annoyed as he allowed the Eraser to cuff his hands behind him, but he was much more concerned with how Iggy was doing, glancing at his brother anxiously.

Ari stepped forward, unsure of what to do with Iggy acting like this. "Is he going to freak out if I touch him?" He asked Fang uncertainly, and he sighed.

"I don't see any way around it," he said grimly. "Iggy, just stay calm, Ari's going to have to carry you, okay?" Iggy nodded, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a deep breath in an attempt to keep his fear at bay.

Ari stood hesitantly, looking at Iggy's trembling form huddled in his coat. He sighed and stepped forward, and he placed a hand on Iggy's shoulder cautiously. Iggy flinched but didn't yelp, biting hard on his lip as if forcing himself to be calm. Ari sighed, and bent down, picking Iggy up easily. _Jeez, the freak hardly weighs a thing_, he thought, as he left the cell and walked down the hall with Iggy, Fang following close behind. _Has he eaten anything since he got here? _

Ari decided to feed both of the bird kids when they got to his suite, and he turned the corner down the hall, coming across several Erasers from his squad. He nodded curtly as he passed them, and no one questioned the trembling mutant in his arms; they knew not to mess with him now that he was close to the boss. They didn't encounter anyone else on the way to the young Eraser's rooms, and he unlocked the door, stepping inside with Iggy and allowing Fang to enter also. "So, what are you going to do with Iggy?" Fang asked, his eyes set on his brother's face, which still looked like he was trying not to show his fear, but he failed miserably. He was obviously still terrified.

"I thought we'd let him take a shower and clean up, since that seems to be the only thing we can do for his injuries except to wait for them to heal," Ari said. "And maybe he'll calm down a little, I don't know." He was starting to feel really uncomfortable with the bird freaks in his suite, but he said he'd help Iggy, so that's what he was going to do. He never went back on things he said. That was his father's job.

Ari carried the shaking mutant into the large bathroom down the hall, and placed Iggy inside the bathtub, where he sat with his knees pulled up to his chest, huddled in the giant leather coat, his entire body trembling. "Look, I know it must hurt to move and all, but you should probably turn on the shower to get all the blood and stuff off you," Ari said. Iggy nodded numbly, and the Eraser left him to it, closing the door behind him and joining Fang again in the main room.

"Um… Are you hungry?" Ari asked the other mutant kind of awkwardly, and Fang shrugged. Ari snorted, knowing that Fang was just trying to be the tough guy as always. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a large bag of Doritos and several cans of Dr. Pepper for Fang, knowing the mutant would be extremely hungry due to his freaky metabolism, and he handed them to the teen, who tried to look cool and indifferent as shoved a giant handful of chips into his mouth and downed one of the sodas in just a few large gulps. It didn't work.

Ari chuckled softly, and he was surprised to catch himself not despising the bird freaks for once. Maybe he didn't hate them after all…

Yeah, right. As soon as he took the freaks back to their cell, it would go back to the exact same thing as always. He didn't need a couple of mutants to hang out with anyway, he had Dr. Gunther on his side and that was all he needed to climb higher. When Jeb saw how important he was… Ari grinned to himself, thinking about it. His father would be so proud of him, and soon everyone would see. They would all see that Ari was _worth_ something, that he wasn't just the patchwork monster, abandoned by his father.

Ari suddenly couldn't wait to see Jeb again_. Soon they'll all see_…

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I sat in the bathtub, letting the water from the shower run over me, shaking uncontrollably even though there was steam in the room. I was terrified. Still.

The whole thing played over and over again in my mind, and I could barely repress a shudder when I remembered Gunther-Hagen's cold, rough hands, touching and toying with me, and I couldn't stop it, I was frozen. I brought my knees closer to me, making me wince as the movement jarred the torn flesh between my legs, and I let my head drop in shame. I hated what he had done to me. He hadn't just given me terror, or pain; he had completely humiliated me, and all in front of my brother.

I wondered what Fang thought about all this. Was he ashamed of me, for what I had been used for? For what I was now? I stopped being a kid a long time ago, and I don't think I ever really was, but I could never be the same now. I felt filthy, disgusting, and nothing would ever change that. So what was I doing in the shower? No amount of soap or water would make me clean again.

I turned off the shower and reached over, groping around for a towel, but my hand found something else instead. Something sharp. I picked it up, and determined easily what it was.

A razor.

It wasn't unusual. Ari was technically only seven, but that was pretty irrelevant, as he was eight feet tall and, I was told, didn't in any way resemble a little kid. So he would obviously have to shave. It wasn't unlikely that I would have found a razor lying around his bathroom; but to me, it was a gift from the heavens.

I held the razor to my arm with a shaking hand, whether from terror still or anticipation, I didn't know; all I knew was that I was about to feel so much better. I didn't hesitate, drawing the blade across my skin, sending me into my personal high. I could feel the blood surfacing and running down, and I couldn't help but grin; I always felt so free when I did this, almost like I was flying again.

But then the sensation faded with the pain, and all I could think was that I wanted more. Instead of making another cut, I felt the impulse to dig deeper into the existing one; I didn't fight it. I found the cut again and sliced into it, making it go even deeper, drawing more blood. The result was even better than the first, and I realized this was the deepest I've ever gone. I guess that should have concerned me, but all I could feel was a sense of being in control, like this was the one thing I could do for myself anymore. I could make my own happy. Fang thought I needed his therapy, but this was my therapy.

For a while, the only thing that existed was the wonderful pain, but all too soon I came back to reality, and I realized that I had a problem. I had never gone so deep before, and there was a lot more blood than I had expected – I could feel it running down my arm, and gathering in a puddle in the bathtub. I knew that I could probably stop the bleeding if I could find a towel, but there weren't any in grabbing distance, and I didn't want to leave the bathtub to search and get blood all over everything. I remembered Ari's coat that I had laid on the floor, but I only wanted to use that as a last resort; I was still terrified of Ari, knowing that his mood could easily change from helpful to hostile in an instant if he saw that I had ruined his coat, and I had in no way forgotten the cave incident.

I was starting to get light-headed, and I thought about calling for help. But I didn't want anyone touching me; I was still recovering from… What had happened. Just thinking about it again made me shudder, and I could almost feel those hands on me again… No, I had to stop doing this every time I remembered it. After all, Gunther-Hagen had promised it wouldn't be the last time. _I will be back to play with you again soon, my pet_… The words rang in my head, and I started shaking again, and it surprised me when a pitiful whimper escaped my throat. No, not again. I could try deluding myself that after it had happened once it would be no big deal for the nightmare to reoccur, but I knew it was a lie; Just the thought of it happening again made me want to… To just…

Not bother to stop the bleeding.

Yes. If I died here, safe, away from Gunther-Hagen… I would never have to feel those hands on me again. There would be no more pain, no more numbness, no more sadness or guilt or fear; I could finally rest from it all. My heart could have peace.

My head was feeling even lighter and my thoughts were becoming fuzzy, so I just laid myself back in the bathtub, letting the life spill out of my wrist beside me. I closed my eyes and relaxed, and all my memories seemed to play out in my mind. Everything I had ever suffered, all the pain that I had felt. I took comfort in knowing that it would all soon be over. And there were all the happy memories, the ones of The Flock; I chose to dwell on those, remembering their faces, how they would smile when we were younger. Little Angel, pyro Gazzy, talkative Nudge, silent Fang…

Fang. Oh no. I completely forgot about Fang! What would he think, when he found my body here, my slit wrist, the blood… No. I couldn't betray him like that! I couldn't leave my brother here, alone, to deal with these psychos! He would miss me, I knew he would. After all he had been through, I couldn't do this to him. And if that meant facing Gunther-Hagen again… Then that's what I would do. I would do it for Fang.

There was only one problem – I no longer had the option to stop the blood myself. I had lost so much already, I was so weak that I could barely lift my head, let alone reach over and grab Ari's coat. I felt myself slowly fading, as my blood continued to flow. _No, I changed my mind_, I wanted to yell, but I had sealed my fate with that razor blade. I was going to die, and it was my own fault.

In one last, weak attempt to save myself, I croaked out a barely audible "Fang," trying to call for my brother before it was too late. But there was no way he could have heard. I was slipping away, and I knew that there was no hope. I was going to die.

_I'm sorry_, I thought for anyone that cared, just before everything fell into a whole new world of black.

**Okay. Even I'm surprised by the depression of that chapter. But don't worry! I told you I don't have the guts to kill Iggy! It will all end up okay, trust me readers.**

**Please, PLEASE review! I desperately want to know how I did with this chapter, if I offended anyone with the rape scene, if the writing quality was good, anything (I had to re-write the Ari POV, so I hope it turned out pretty decent). Feel free to give me suggestions too! This fic is practically built off of the little ideas you guys send me in your comments. Thanks! :D**


	28. Remorse

**Hey guys, pandorad24 again. Sorry this chapter is so late! I'll be honest, I really had no excuse, I've just been caught up in some other things. I really am sorry, next time won't be so late. Okay, first up in this chapter will be Aaron, then Ari, and Fang after him.**

**By the way, Nathan-p, I went back and re-edited all the chapters, so now it's Gunther-Hagen instead of just 'Gunther'. Hope you're happy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own.**

_~ Chapter 28 – Remorse ~_

It had been a long day. Soon after Aro had informed us of the real game these psychos were playing, the rest of The Flock had woken up, one by one. It was the same deal – they couldn't remember anything, not even their own names. Thankfully, none of them had yet broken out screaming, only Max, who still lay unconscious now in the back of the SUV we 'borrowed' from a very unfortunate German man, her head resting on Amber's lap. It had been several hours since her little episode, and I was starting to get really worried about her.

Well, really I was worried about all of them. Who knew how long they would be without their memories. A week? Months? Years? Or maybe they would never remember.

"Miss Amber?" The Gasman piped up in the seat behind me, his normally sure, confident voice full of confusion. "Where are we going?"

"Away from here," Amber answered him grimly, sending another worried glance down at Max's sleeping face. "We can't risk sticking around for those creeps to find us."

"What creeps? Who are we running from?" Little Angel asked, her bright blue eyes widening in anxiety. "Are we in danger?"

"I assure you Angel, you're perfectly safe with us," I said, my eyes narrowing at the road ahead as I remembered saying something very similar to Max about Iggy… "We're not letting anyone else slip through our fingers."

"What? Who else was there? Was it a friend?" Nudge questioned curiously beside Arabel, and I fought the overpowering urge to hit the steering wheel. It was all those _stupid_ monsters faults! Now The Flock didn't even remember their own brother who, just hours ago, they had been so worked-up over in worry that they wanted to rush into the 'mission' so they could get back home to him as soon as possible. And, surely they were completely ignorant to Fang's existence now as well. Gosh.

My thoughts drifted to the mutant brothers, just as they had so many times that day and the days before it. The constant worry was always in the corner of my mind, gnawing away at every other thought. Where were they? Were they okay? I knew Iggy had to be captured and was being held prisoner by those creeps somewhere, but what about Fang? Was he even alive? If he was, why hadn't he caught up to us yet? Was he captured too? My head spun with all the questions that had no answer, and the frustration only led to anger against the monsters that had taken our friends The Flock, whether physically or mentally, from us. It infuriated me to no end.

"So, what now?" Arabel asked quietly, and I glanced up at the rear-view mirror to see her looking at me expectantly. I grit my teeth, shaking my head.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" I said, unable to keep the anger from my voice, imagining what those psychos could be doing to Iggy and Fang. "We go find the rest of The Flock."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari stood by the couch, watching Fang with amusement as he scarfed down on all the food he gave him, far more than any normal human could have consumed without puking. The bird freak chugged down the last can of soda in front of him, tossing it carelessly aside and asked breathlessly, "Is there any more?" Ari chortled with laughter.

"Are you seriously still hungry? You eat like a polar bear." Fang scowled.

"You try going without anything to eat or drink for three days, plus the added bonus of a mutant metabolism," he retorted moodily. "And I meant for Iggy."

Oh. Right. He had another mutant in his bathroom. Speaking of which… "Hey, your brother's been in there for a while," Ari observed. "Maybe someone should check on him before he drowns." Fang rolled his eyes at the sarcasm, but he sent a worried glance at the bathroom door.

"I'll see if he's alright," he said, getting up from the couch and walking up to the door, knocking lightly. "Hey Igs?" He called from the hall. "You've been in there for a while. You okay?"

Silence.

Fang's eyebrows furrowed in anxiety, and he knocked on the door more urgently. "Iggy? Are you okay?" He said loudly. Still no answer came from behind the door. "Iggy! Answer me!" He was starting to really freak out.

"Relax freak," Ari said irritably, plopping down on the couch, making it groan under his bulk. "I'm sure he's fine. You birdies are real paranoid, you know that?"

Fang frowned. "If he was alright, he would have answered me," he said, and he opened the bathroom door, stepping inside. "Iggy, are you o –"

Fang's voice broke off, and he gasped. "Iggy!" Ari heard him rush over to something in the bathroom, and he got up from the couch quickly.

"What? What is it?" He asked anxiously, striding down the hall and turning to look inside the bathroom. His eyes grew wide.

The first thing that caught his eyes was a lot of deep, scarlet red, standing out evilly against the porcelain white bathtub. He realized at once that it was blood, and he traced the source to Iggy's wrist, lying limply beside him in the gleaming puddle of life-giving liquid, the precious fluid continuing to leak out of him freely.

"Iggy!" Fang cried again, horror written all over his face as he rushed back to his brother's side with a towel, immediately taking his injured wrist and wrapping it in the white cotton, putting as much pressure on the wound as he could with his hands shaking uncontrollably like they were. Ari just stood there, blank with shock. Because there, in Iggy's other hand, was his razor blade - the one he had used on numerous occasions for the very same purpose.

He knew from watching him in the forest the day he left Iggy the letter that he also cut himself, but something about seeing the cutting razor in that unmoving, clammy hand… It just made him think about how easily that could be _himself _instead, lying unconscious in a pool of his own mutant blood, dying…

"Ari!" Fang's voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he saw the bird kid still clinging desperately to his brother's wrist, clamping the towel around it, which was beginning to be stained scarlet by the blood that soaked through, still flowing persistently. "Help me stop the blood! Please!" Fang was completely losing it, practically hyperventilating, his eyes wide as he stared down at his brother's face, even paler than usual from the loss of so much blood. Ari had never seen him lose control like this. "_Please!_"

Ari forced himself to look away from the sight of all the blood, dashing out of the bathroom and returning with a small first-aid kit. It wasn't much, but it was all he could think to do. His large hands fumbled clumsily with the bandages inside, scattering a few of them on the floor, when he found a relatively large one. He placed it on the edge of the bathtub and knelt beside Fang, taking Iggy's wrist. "Get another towel," he ordered, and Fang obeyed without question, grabbing a towel from the rack beside him, and Ari took it, wrapping it over the other, applying pressure. "Have you checked his pulse?" He asked, still clamping his hand tightly around Iggy's wrist. Fang shook his head, and he reached down, placing two trembling fingers to Iggy's neck.

"It's really weak," he said anxiously, "But it's there."

"Obviously, or he wouldn't be bleeding like this," Ari mumbled, clamping his other hand around Iggy's upper-arm, hoping this would help slow the blood flow. At least the blood hadn't soaked through the second towel, that was a good sign.

"Is he going to be okay?" Was the question Fang asked next, his voice low and shaky, looking right at Ari with serious, pleading eyes. Ari sighed.

"Most likely – the blood flow seems to finally be slowing down. He'll be weak, and one of the doctors will probably have to do a transfusion with some of your blood or something, but he should be fine." Fang let out a deep sigh, looking back down at his brother, an expression of mixed relief and sadness on his face.

"Why, Iggy?" He said whispered quietly to himself.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

_Why? _Why did he do this? He could have… Oh, gosh. He could have _died_.

Deep down, I knew exactly why he had done it - because I couldn't help him. Because I failed. It was _my_ fault. But I was still in shock, and I couldn't get over the fact that I had so nearly lost him. My best friend, my brother by bond alone, and he had come so close to slipping away forever. This couldn't be happening; I was in denial, refusing to believe that Iggy had come to the point of suicide. But what else could I expect, going through the horror that he did…

I shuddered. I couldn't imagine the trauma that must have caused him. And, with the promise of more violation to come… It really should have been no surprise what solution he'd come up with. After all, he _had_ said he wanted to die back at the Pack house just after his wings were taken, what seemed like ages ago. But still, it was so hard to accept; he nearly _died_, and of his own free will. My poor, tortured, suffering brother. He wanted to die. All because of _me_. I couldn't save him from Ari, I couldn't save him from Gunther-Hagen, and I couldn't even save him from himself. Some brother I was – I was such a _failure_.

_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry_, I thought, looking at Iggy's face as I jogged to keep up with Ari, who carried Iggy's still unconscious form, wrapped up in the giant leather coat. His skin was damp, clammy, and too pale even for him; with his eyes closed and head hanging limply, he looked for all the world like he was dead. I swallowed with difficulty - _just like he wanted_, I thought with a grimace._ Just like what I couldn't have stopped_.

We soon reached the cell, and Ari unlatched the door, making me go in first, and then stepping inside behind me with Iggy in his arms. He set Iggy down on his side of the room, then came up to me and released me from the handcuffs, replacing them with the chains that bound me to the wall. He then turned back to Iggy, chaining him by his ankles so the shackles wouldn't affect the now bandaged wound on his wrist. Proceeding to pull the coat from Iggy, he mumbled, "I can't let him keep this – Dr. Gunther-Hagen would know I was here." I just nodded, and the Eraser cast one last worried glance at Iggy, before striding from the room, swinging the heavy door shut behind him and leaving the cell in pitch black again.

I waited in silence for a long time. I didn't know what I'd say to Iggy when he woke up. What could I say? What could I possibly tell Iggy that would make things better? I seemed to always know exactly what to do, but I was so clueless. The truth was that I was scared; I didn't want him to try again. We had come so close this time. And what if he did try? There would be nothing I could do to stop him - not a single thing I could do to take his pain away, and keep him safe.

I really hated myself. I had left the rest of The Flock without warning, and I landed up in a dungeon cell where I was helpless to stop anything the scientists decided to do to Iggy. I was completely useless to my family this way. _Is this how Iggy feels all the time?_ I wondered.

It wasn't too long before I heard Iggy stirring awake. His eyes fluttered open, and he turned his head weakly to the sound of my breathing. "F… Fang?" He said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, it's me, Ig," I whispered, unsure of what to say. His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"But… I… Where are we?" He asked anxiously, and his hand went straight to his injured wrist. He felt the bandages, and he looked back up at me in surprise. "I… I'm not d-dead?" He said shakily.

"No," I said softly. "Ari and I found you… We stopped the bleeding."

We were both silent for a long time as this sunk in, trying to figure out what to say to each other. Iggy was looking down at the floor, his bangs covering his eyes, and I had no way of knowing what he was feeling. Sad? Angry? Then he finally looked up at me, and I wasn't surprised to find tears in his eyes. What surprised me is what he said next. "Fang… I'm so sorry."

I was startled. "What?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, and there was a mixture of relief and misery in his tear-filled eyes. "I didn't mean to…" The tears slipped out, and his shoulders shook with soft, shuddering sobs.

My heart sank, and I wished so badly that I could go over there and comfort him. There of course was no blame, and any subtle anger that I had drained out of me. He just wanted it to be over. Gosh, I wished that I could help him. If it killed me, all I wanted was to take the burden of all that pain from him. "Iggy… It's okay. I understand," I said, tortured by the sound of him crying like this. "You don't have to apologize to me. It's my fault you felt like you had to that."

He looked back up at me, attempting to stifle his tears. "No, Fang," he croaked shakily. "Please don't blame yourself, it was my fault, I was being selfish. I should never have done that to you."

I sighed. "It's okay, Iggy. The important thing is that you're okay. Just… Please… Please don't do again. Please try." I knew it was a lot to ask of him, with the heck that he went through, but I couldn't stand the thought of losing him. It was unthinkable. I knew I couldn't take another close call like that, I would fall apart.

"I promise," he said, his blind eyes looking right into mine. "I'll never do it to you again, Fang."

I felt relief flood through me, and I nodded to myself. "Thank you, Iggy," I whispered. "I'm sorry that I can't help you. I wish so badly that I could."

At this, Iggy smiled sadly, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter what happens to me, I can take it," he said, but I saw a glimmer of fear in his eyes as he thought about what was coming for him. "Really. Don't worry about me, Fang."

Of course Iggy was putting on a tough face. He always did, when something significantly horrible happened, or he was scared. It was one of the things I admired about him.

"Try to get some rest, Iggy," I said, lying down on the cold floor myself, realizing for the first time how exhausted I was. "You need that wound to heal." He nodded, curling up on the floor, bringing his knees up to his chest as much as possible to try and keep warm. I listened as his breathing soon slowed and became even, before I allowed myself to fall into the welcoming darkness as well.

I didn't know what was coming the next day, but I prayed to no one in particular that Dr. Gunther-Hagen wouldn't visit our cell again. I didn't know how much more Iggy could take.

**Aww, more brotherly love! Hurt/comfort should definitely be one of the selected genres; I might have to fix that. So, The Pack is on their way (not that they'll get far without information – which is where the lovely Voice comes in!). And Ari and Fang saved Iggy. Good job. See, I told you I wouldn't let him die! Who would fill our days with angst and sarcasm if he were gone? That would certainly be a tragedy. :'(**

**REVIEW! You guys have been silent for the past three days almost, and I was starting to go crazy. Thankfully though, lillypad22 and JessicaJayJackson pulled through and kept me from insanity. :) Thank you guys! But don't make me go through that again! Please review…? :D**


	29. Perdition

**Hey readers, pandorad24 with chapter 29. Hmm, looks like it's going to be a Max POV first, Fang, Iggy, and then Ari. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own.**

_~ Chapter 29 – Perdition ~_

Ugh… Everything hurt. My head was pounding, and my entire body felt stiff and sore. I blearily opened my eyes, squinting in the bright light, and sat up, looking around. Where was I? I discovered that I was lying on a couch, and there were people surrounding me. _Why does this feel familiar?_

"Max?" One of them said, watching my face carefully. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Head hurts," I mumbled, clutching my aching skull. The guy who had spoken, a huge red head with bulging muscles under a grimy T-shirt, turned to whisper something to the teen behind him, an olive-skinned girl with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. She nodded, and left the room, returning with a plate of food.

"Here," she said kindly, handing me the steaming dish, and I quickly thanked her, attacking the food with my fork. I was starving. "You must be hungry," she said, watching me with slight amusement. "You were out for three weeks."

My fork paused mid-stab, and I looked back up at her with wide eyes. Three _weeks? _I suddenly remembered passing out before, just after my head had split with agony. So where was I now?

"We though you'd gone into a coma," one of the girls said quietly, a lanky, pale blond that I could faintly recognize. I think she was one of the kids that had talked to me in that park… "What happened back there?" She asked, looking at me with worry in her eyes. "You… You were screaming. You sounded like you were in a lot of pain."

I remembered it now, a voice in my head. It knew my name… "Uh, I don't know what happened," I said truthfully, scooping some scrambled eggs into my mouth, chewing thoughtfully. This was too weird. First I wake up, all my memories gone, and a voice pops into my head. Was this normal in my life? I wished I could remember.

_Maximum._

I jumped, as the 'Voice' appeared with no warning, startling me into dropping my nearly empty plate.

"Are you okay?" A small boy piped up anxiously, a spiky-haired blond with bright blue eyes; another one I didn't recognize. I nodded, not wanting anyone else to worry, and I excused myself to step out of the hotel room and into the long hallway.

The voice was back! _What the heck does it want with me? _I wondered, and the strange voice spoke to me again, echoing in my brain.

_Since you asked, I need you to go back to Germany_, it said, and my eyes widened. Whoa, hold the phone - so I was just supposed to skip on over to _Germany_, without any of my memories, just because a voice in my head told me to? No way!

_Who are you?_ I asked furiously in my head, not wanting to scare anyone who might be walking nearby.

_That is not important right now_, it answered. Like heck it wasn't important!

_Answer the question, _I thought-snarled, starting to get really frustrated with this brain highjacker. Who did this thing think it was?

_Like I said, that does not concern you, _it said calmly. _You need to focus on getting to Germany. I will tell you what to do from there._

I snorted out-loud. Was this a joke?

_No, Maximum, it is not in any way a laughing matter, _it continued gravely, making me scowl.

_Then what is it? _I thought. _What is this all about?_

_It's about saving your brothers, Max, _said the 'Voice'. _They are both in a lot of trouble._

My eyes widened, and mouth fell open. I had brothers? They were in trouble?

_Yes. If you do not hurry, they will both surely die. They won't last much longer, Max._

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"That's right, moan for me, boy. Louder, so your brother can hear…"

My heart went out to Iggy, as he let out another low, reluctant moan of forced pleasure. Dr. Gunther-Hagen was having his way with him again.

"You're such a little slut, Igneous," the doctor hissed, continuing to toy with my brother. I could see tears begin to well up in Iggy's eyes; the shame was just too much for him to handle. My heart was breaking, listening to the monster's taunts and Iggy's involuntary moaning, knowing how much it was breaking him apart, and how disgusted he was with himself. Iggy's tense muscles relaxed and the tears slipped down his face as his body gave Gunther-Hagen the reaction he wanted, and he was breathing heavily, sweat glistening on his pale, trembling skin.

"Stop. P-please, stop," he begged shakily, his voice hoarse from screaming earlier, desperate pleading in his eyes. Gunther-Hagen only laughed cruelly, and he flipped Iggy roughly onto his stomach again, forcing him onto his hands and knees. He soon had Iggy sobbing hysterically in between screams, and I winced, feeling sick. It sounded like his lungs were being rent apart.

It had been going on like this for hours, with Gunther-Hagen alternating the agony and the humiliation. I didn't know what hurt Iggy more, but I could see that every time the monster came to visit him for the past few weeks, it broke him a little bit more, made him even more terrified. It killed me to see him this way, to say the least; but he never complained. Though he only occasionally spoke anymore, it was always to ask if _I_ was okay, if he could do anything to help _me_. Gosh, he was so selfless; what had he ever done to deserve torture like this?

There were short breaks from the horror, though; sometimes Gunther-Hagen would skip a day, and give Iggy some precious time to rest and heal. Also, every time he could get away with it, Ari would come by with some food for us, and pain meds for Iggy. I was pretty sure he had over-dosed him a few times in secret after a particularly bad visit from Dr. Gunther-Hagen, but Iggy certainly didn't seem to mind; anything to numb the pain.

Finally, Gunther-Hagen seemed to be finished tormenting my brother, and he dressed himself again, the same cruel smirk on his face as always. Iggy collapsed, barely conscious at this point, lying there motionlessly except for the tremors of sobs that still escaped his throat, hot and salty tears flowing down his face. My poor brother looked like a complete mess, sniveling on the floor, his legs caked with dried blood, grime, and other things. The floor was covered in the vile liquid, and an evil smell seemed to linger in the room permanently, and became practically suffocating after every one of Gunther-Hagen's 'visits'.

The doctor left with his same promise that he would return soon, and I wanted nothing more than to be able to go over there and comfort Iggy, tell him it would be okay, that I would find a way to get us out of that heckish place. But I would just be telling him lies. Despite how much I wanted to, how much I would give to make it possible, I could do nothing for him. So I just sat there and cried for Iggy's pain, like the failure I was. I wanted to hit myself. How could I call myself Iggy's brother, when I didn't do one freaking thing to help him? It was all my fault that he had no relief except for Ari's occasional mind-soothing pills, I should be able to do something for him, I was his best friend after all. I snorted inwardly. Yeah, right – would a best friend leave the other in pain, and do nothing to make it stop? I was such a… A… I couldn't think of a word bad enough to describe me, I was too low for words.

_I'm sorry, Iggy_, I thought, letting the stupid tears wash over me. _I'm sorry I can't do anything for you. I'm sorry I'm the worst best friend and brother on the planet. I'm sorry I'm so weak… I'm so, so sorry. You don't have to forgive me, just know that I'm sorry._

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I hated this. I hated feeling so disgusting, so filthy, like I was nothing more than Gunther-Hagen's _toy_. Like I was such a… A slut. I filthy, stinking slut, that's what I was now. I let another wave of tears slip down, choking out a sob. I just wanted it to be over. _I wanted to die_…

But no. I couldn't, no matter how hard it got to stay strong; I had to, for Fang. I was then reminded of my obvious trembling and tears, and I only felt more vulnerable. Who was I kidding, I wasn't strong; I was terrified and weak. Sooner or later, something would give – be it my fragile remaining strength, or my sanity. I knew Dr. Gunther-Hagen wouldn't stop until I cracked.

I flinched at the thought, and my shaking only grew worse. Jeez, I was pathetic. I attempted to curl up and bring my knees to my chest, but the simple movement sent slicing pain between my legs, and I decided I wouldn't be able to move for a while. Dr. Gunther-Hagen hadn't shown any mercy this time… I wondered vaguely if Ari would be stopping by with any pills, when I heard a shuddering sort of whimper come from the other side of the room. Fang…

"F… Fang," I said weakly, my throat burning from screaming so much. "A-are you okay?" There was another choked sob from my brother, and I swelled with guilt. I knew how much it hurt him to watch me suffer like this. It was breaking him apart just like it was breaking me. And could I do anything to comfort him? No. I was completely helpless to do anything to soothe his pain, as much as I wanted to help him. He shouldn't even _be_ here; it was all because of me that he suffered. "I-I'm sorry, Fang," I said softly. "I'm sorry that you're stuck here. You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"And neither should you," was his cracked reply, shaky with tears. "They h-hurt you so bad… And there's nothing I can d-do." He started sobbing again, and I could feel my heart breaking. Fang never, _ever_ cried – I knew he had to be really suffering to break down like he was.

I was about to attempt to say something mildly comforting to him, but a sudden hacking cough cut me off. I was shaking all over, and I was beginning to feel light-headed and dizzy. I groaned in pain, and I could sense Fang looking at me in worry, his tears somewhat forgotten for the moment. "Iggy?" He said anxiously, as I started coughing again, clutching my aching stomach. He was saying something else, but I barely heard him, my head was pounding so badly. What was wrong with me? Was I sick? No sooner had I thought that, when I suddenly retched in-between coughs, and something came up. There was a bitter taste in my mouth, so it wasn't blood – that was a good sign. But I was still worried. I couldn't afford to be puking up any food I was able to get, there was barely enough to get us by already. "Iggy!" Fang's voice reached me through a haze of pain, and he sounded very worried. "Are you okay?"

"Feel… Sick," I said groggily, stating the obvious. I could barely think straight.

"It's those pills," Fang said, and he sounded angry. "Ari's been giving you too much, and it's making you sick." Well, that explained it. Sometimes when Ari gave me the painkillers, I would feel almost like I did when I cut, only for a longer amount of time. It felt good, and it numbed the pain almost completely, so I didn't question it. But now it was making me sick. As if to prove his point, I propped myself up weakly with my arms and puked again, making the floor even filthier than it was before and adding to the nasty smell in the room. Instead of making me feel better, the nauseous feeling only got worse. "Hang in there, Iggy," Fang said sympathetically. "Ari should be here soon."

Ari. A few weeks ago, I would be cowering at the thought of him coming near me, but I had learned to form a fragile trust in the Eraser. He seemed to be… _Concerned_ for me now, like he actually cared if I died. He brought Fang and I food, and the pain meds… Granted, they were making me sick, but the fact that he would even bother to help me blew my mind. I found myself looking forward to the occasions that he could come visit us in our cell.

As if on cue, the door creaked open and the Eraser's enormous boots could be heard clomping toward me. I flinched, that having become the instinctive reaction for whenever anyone approached me, but it didn't take very much to calm myself down. I felt Ari kneel beside me, and he muttered, "Hey freak. I brought you guys some stuff." There was a rustle of fabric as he took off his coat, draping it over me, which I accepted gratefully.

"Thanks," I said, before I started coughing again, sending wracking tremors through my whole body.

"What's wrong?" Ari said, and I could hear a frown in his voice.

"You've been over-dosing him on those painkillers," Fang answered, a slightly accusing tone in his voice. "It's making him sick."

"Really?" Ari said in surprise, sounding confused. "I… I didn't know it would do that. I thought it would help, so I gave him a few extra pills. He seemed better, so I kept giving him more… I'm sorry."

I was shocked. What? Ari was… Apologizing? He really had changed. "Here," he said, and the pill bottle rattled as he pulled it from his pocket, and he took my hand and poured some into it. I turned my head to look questioningly at him, and he said, "It's only two. That's the normal dosage amount." I nodded weakly, and popped the pills into my mouth, swallowing them dry. I sighed, huddling into the coat for warmth, waiting for the drugs to take affect.

Ari then proceeded to open the pack he had brought with him, pulling out food for Fang and I, as well as several cans of soda. We thanked him and quickly dug into the food, knowing we only had a minimal amount of time to eat before Dr. Gunther-Hagen made it back to his office to watch the security screen. We finished the small meal within minutes, and Ari packed up the empty cans, slinging it onto his back again with a sigh. "Alright, I have to go," he said. "The boss is expecting me to be there when he gets back; thankfully he stops at his suite to take a shower first, so I should make it in time." I reluctantly allowed him to take his coat back, shivering in the cold, and feeling uncomfortable from the exposure. With Fang it wasn't really an issue, but it was still kind of awkward with Ari there.

The Eraser quickly left, and Fang sighed. "Are you feeling any better, Igs?" He asked quietly.

"A little," I replied. "The food helped, and the pills will kick in soon." Fang was silent for a long time, and I was starting to feel drowsy from the meds by the time he spoke again.

"We have to get out of here," he said, and there was a new determined note in his voice. "Neither of us will last much longer, with the food limits, and the way Dr. Gunther-Hagen hurts you…" I winced. "We're both getting weaker. The Flock doesn't know where we are, and The Pack is probably just as clueless. It's up to us to make a break for it." My mouth quirked up slightly in a weak smirk.

"That sounds great, buddy," I said, imagining escaping from that dank prison cell. "Got any ideas?"

"Not really," he admitted. "But there is Ari. I bet he can help us out." I nodded.

"I just want to be out of this place," I said quietly, staring blankly ahead. "I… I don't know how much more I can take."

"I know, Igs," Fang said soothingly. "I swear I'll get you out of here. Just try to rest for now, okay?" I nodded, closing my eyes and letting the drowsiness come over me, drifting off into much needed sleep. Instead of the usual nightmares, I dreamt about finally breaking free of that place, and flying away.

Fang was right; we had to get out of there. Very, very soon.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari made his way quickly down the halls of the building, not wasting any time in getting back to the office. It would be close, but he was sure he could make it before Dr. Gunther-Hagen returned.

Sudden voices ahead made him stop, and he strained his ears, trying to identify the owners. He soon recognized them as belonging to a couple Erasers in his squad. Great.

"… What about the bird freaks?" One of them said, and Ari began to listen intently.

"What about them?"

"Well, they've been locked up in their cell for weeks, no experiments, nothing to occupy them except for the boss and his little 'visits'." The other Eraser let out a barking laugh.

"Ha, Dr. Gunther-Hagen thinks we don't know what he's doing, but have you heard the blindie _scream?_"

"Who hasn't? I've heard him from _outside_. It's hilarious. It's about time someone showed the freaks their place."

"I'm with ya'. Those kids think they're so tough, but now the boss has got 'em right were he wants them. I just wish he'd share his toys, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to give those birdies a good beating. I could use some entertainment."

"You can say that again. Hey, you know what Gunther-Hagen wants to do right?"

"No, what?"

"Okay, you remember how he made the blindie kill all those subjects?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Dr. Gunther-Hagen's gonna make him do the same thing again; only this time, it's gonna be his brother."

Ari's eyes widened. _No_. He had seen the affects of murder on Iggy already; he knew how much it tore him apart even to kill strangers. But making him kill _Fang? _Ari doubted there was any way to make him do it, but even so… he couldn't let this happen. Over the weeks of helping Iggy he had grown to be fond of the runty little freak, and his brother as well. He didn't know why he felt protective of them, having hated them for years, but something had changed. He couldn't let his psycho boss get away with this, not again.

Resolved with a new purpose to keep the bird kids safe, Ari continued briskly down the hall, glaring at the chatting Erasers as he passed. Dr. Gunther-Hagen had gotten away with kidnapping, murder, rape and torture before, but he wasn't going to let it happen again. He at least had to stop this from happening. His father had abandoned him, but he wouldn't abandon his friends; he was going to help them escape.

**Yay, Ari's friends with Fang and Iggy, he's going to help them escape! If it seemed kinda sudden, keep in mind he had three weeks to make nice with our favorite winged boys. Speaking of which, oh my gosh, if there was ever a time when I felt terrible enough for Fang and Iggy to bring me to tears (it takes a LOT to get me to cry), it would have been this chapter. –sniffles- Dr. Gunther-Hagen is such a sadist, it makes me sick, I just want to rip out his spine and beat him with it (line stolen from SOF). Yeah, even though I pretty much knew what was going to happen, it still made me sad to make Fang cry like that, and to put Iggy through all that suffering… Ugh. So sad. :'(**

**Please review! C'mon people, you know you want to leave the angst queen a comment (I really think I do have a gift with angstyness – it makes my world go 'round). XD**


	30. Unexpected Visitor

**Hey guys, it's pandorad24 (obviously), here with a new chappie! Sorry it took so long, but I've been unbelievably busy and my computer has been having some issues. Once again, I'm really sorry it was late, I'll try to get it in faster next time. Okay, first up will be Max, then Iggy I think, and then Ari. Enjoy, and stuff.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own.**

_~ Chapter 30 – Unexpected Visitor ~_

I can't believe I was doing this.

So, a voice pops up in my head, tells me I have brothers in grave danger, and demands that I go across the globe to _Germany_, and what do I do? I listen to it. How could I trust this thing? I couldn't, not at all, and yet here I was, about to tell my new friends that I barely knew to pack their bags. Who were these so-called 'brothers' anyway? I didn't even know their names, and yet I was going to maybe risk my life to save them. Heck, I didn't even know what kind of danger they were in! It was so frustrating, not knowing anything. And, who knows, I might not even _have_ brothers in the first place, since there was no way I could really trust anything this 'Voice' tells me.

But there was still the possibility that it could be telling the truth. If I really did have brothers, then wouldn't I want to do everything I could to save them? When I had my memories, I'm sure that I had loved them very much - they were my family, after all. Families loved each other; they would do anything for one another. That's why I was putting my trust in this thing – because maybe, just maybe, there was truth in what it said. And if so, then I wouldn't stop until my forgotten family was all home safe… If we had a home.

I stepped back into the hotel room, and I was greeted by curious glances from the kids inside – my 'friends'. I only knew one girl's name, but they seemed nice enough. "Are you okay, Max?" Said mister blonde from the park concernedly. I nodded yes, and took my seat on the couch. How was I going to say this? I was practically asking strangers to take me across the globe to save my brothers that may or may not exist. I couldn't very well say, "Oh, guys, I know we barely know each other, but I need you to take me to Germany 'cause a voice in my head wants me to go there." Yeah, right.

"Um… Guys," I said, my hands fidgeting nervously in my lap. "I have to go somewhere, and I really need you to take me."

"Okay, where to?" The dark-haired girl from before asked.

"Uh… Germany," I said hesitantly, looking at the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl exchange a glance with mister blonde.

"Why do you need to go to Germany, Max?" He asked calmly, looking at me with piercing brown eyes. I swallowed nervously. Yeah, this was going to be difficult.

"Well, there's this… _Voice_ in my head, and it told me to go there so I can save my brothers." I held my breath, waiting for someone to suggest I be put on medication.

"Max… Did this voice really tell you that your brothers are in Germany?" Mister blonde asked seriously, and I bit my lip.

"Not exactly, it just said to go there so I could save them," I answered, looking back at him, pleading for answers. He sighed.

"Max, do you remember having brothers at all?" He said, and I shook my head. "Well, you do," he informed me. "Three of them."

I stared at him, dumbstruck. Three brothers? Did I have sisters, then? "What are their names?" I asked breathlessly, eager for information. "Where are they? Are they safe?" The guy sighed.

"Their names are The Gasman, Fang, and Iggy. Gazzy is here with us, but he doesn't remember anything either."

"Really?" I said, dismayed. So the rest of my family had suffered this too?

"Yeah. Actually, you also have two sisters, Nudge and Angel; they're here too. They all had their memories taken."

I was shocked. How had this happened? As if he reading my mind, mister blonde continued, "We don't know how it happened… We got separated, and then when we caught up to each other, you were all passed-out… And we could have stopped it. I'm sorry." He was looking at me with a guilt-stricken expression, and then he clenched his fists with anger, looking down with his head shaking frustratedly. "And we could have saved your brothers too. This wouldn't have happened if I had just kept a better eye on him…"

"Who?" I asked, desperate for the whole story. I didn't know if these people really were to blame for whatever had happened to my brothers, but I had to know everything I could to save them; I would leave the issue of responsibility for later, when my family was back safe to me. Then we would figure out how to get our memories back. We were just going to have to take this one step at a time, and maybe it would be okay.

"Your brother Iggy," mister blonde answered.

"Who's the other one?" I persisted. "What are they like? What happened to them?"

"The other one's name is Fang," he said, and it crossed my mind that my family had very unusual names, but mister blonde continued before I could dwell on it. "They're both fourteen, the same age as you. We didn't actually get to know them very well before we lost them, but they're both really great guys. They didn't at all deserve what happened to them…"

"What? What happened?" I said, feeling like I was going to explode if I didn't get answers soon. The guy sighed.

"They were captured," he said sadly, and I felt a pit form in my stomach. _Captured? _Like, kidnapped by a bunch of creepers in a van? Somehow taken as prisoners of war? What the heck did he mean they were captured? By who? What were they doing with my brothers? "We only know that they were probably taken by a man named Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen, but as to where they are and what he's doing with them, we have no idea." The blonde guy looked at me expectantly, and I shook my head.

"I told you, all the 'Voice' said was to go to Germany and it would give me instructions on what to do from there," I said, disappointed that I couldn't have gotten more information, but only more committed to helping my brothers now that I knew what had happened to them. "So, will you take me?" I asked, the pleading evident in my eyes as I looked to mister blonde for permission. He grinned.

"Of course," he said, and he stood up from his perch on the coffee table. "We will do whatever it takes to get your brothers back, Max. You have my word. And, this time, I'm going to make sure I keep it." I sent him a grateful look, relieved that he had agreed to help me, and I stood also, joining him in heading out the door.

Memories or no memories, I was going to get my brothers back; that was my promise also.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

When I woke up, I could hear voices coming from outside the cell. I shoved the grogginess away and forced myself awake, straining my sharp ears to make out the muffled conversation beyond the door. Unfortunately, whoever was talking was far away, and I could just barely make out a few words, things like "spy", "Itex", and "partner". I heard the scraping of chains along the floor nearby, and I turned my head towards Fang. "Hey," I croaked, and I was surprised at how scratchy and weak my voice sounded. Apparently between the screaming and silence for the past few weeks, my throat was starting to feel the strain.

"Hey." Fang sounded weak also, but alert. He had probably been trying to make out the voices too.

"Did you catch any of that?" I asked, knowing that any information we could get would be valuable in our plans to escape.

"Nah. Even if I had your ears, they're just too far away," he said. I sighed, pushing myself shakily into a sitting position leaning against the wall, bringing my knees close to my chest. There was only a dull pain when I moved now with the pills Ari had given me still doing their job, but my rapidly deteriorating strength was making it difficult to function anyway. I brought my hand up and coughed into it a few times, irritating my dry throat and causing my whole body to shake, before I wearily brought my wings around in front of me, and huddled in them for warmth. The feathers were limp and dirty, as was my hair, and the rest of me felt filthy and way too thin.

_I hope Fang looks better than I do_, I thought, and the words echoed in my tired brain. I was so exhausted; I had to push myself to think strait. I had told Ari to give him a portion of my food, but I'm not sure if he had actually done it. I was just so worried about Fang, whatever happened to me didn't matter; I just wanted him to be safe. Heck, I wanted more than anything for him to be out of this place, he wasn't even supposed to be here and yet he had come to save me. And now he was captured. It was all because of me, so it was the least I could do to make sure he escaped, or at least that he didn't starve in this heckhole. I just wished that I could do more.

"Iggy," Fang called softly from across the room, and I looked up at him again.

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking… About how we can escape."

I grinned. If there was anything I knew about Fang, it was that he was all about strategy; whereas Max would want to charge into any situation, Fang was constantly on guard, always thinking, always planning it out in his head. If he had been thinking about a way to escape, he was sure to have a foolproof plan. With the both us working together, and with Ari on our side, there was no way this could fail. "Let's hear it, bro," I said, forcing my foggy brain into attention.

"Alright," he said, and I could hear the eagerness in his voice. "Here's the plan…"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

He had to admit – Fang was a pretty smart guy. The plan was brilliant. There was absolutely no way it could have failed, if –

"The subjects are certainly foolish, Ari."

…If Dr. Gunther-Hagen hadn't been watching the security screen while he explained it to Iggy.

"Yes sir," Ari said, feeling sick to his stomach. Those idiots. How could they have forgotten bout the security camera set up in their cell? Hadn't he told them a million times to be careful, and to save discussions like that for the times that were sure to be safe? If Fang had just waited for the next time Gunther-Hagen decided to 'visit' Iggy… He sighed internally. Of course Fang wouldn't have waited for that. All he cared about was keeping Iggy safe from Dr. Gunther-Hagen and the rest, so he wouldn't wait for the next opportunity for him to be hurt; he would want to be out of there before anyone had the chance to get near them again. But if they had just held off until next day…. They would've had a good chance of breaking out of there for good. Now that opportunity was long gone.

"You know Ari, I think it's time we finally broke young Igneous," Dr. Gunther-Hagen said casually, staring at Iggy on the security screen. "I've been wearing the subject thin for the past few weeks, and now it's just a matter of shattering that last frail barrier of strength. And I know just how we'll do it."

Ari swallowed thickly. He already knew what was coming. "How's that, sir?"

The doctor chuckled. "I simply destroy the one thing that holds it together. The formula I have been developing out of the DNA sample I collected from Igneous the day it arrived at the lab is complete; I can now combine the formula with my studies of stem cells to easily create a clone of Igneous, which I can manipulate to have strength, stamina, and even senses far superior to the original subject. Plus, I will be able to restore the eyesight of the clones, making them ideal weapons to use against Itex. With these new super-mutants, even the other male subject we have in our custody is expendable; I will use it to bend Igneous to my will."

Ari was stunned. He had known about Gunther-Hagen's plan to create a formula using Iggy's DNA, but he had no idea it would be completed so _soon_. And there was still one thing that didn't make sense… "Uh, sir?"

"Yes, Ari?"

"Well… If you have all these super-clones, why do you still need Iggy- uh, Igneous?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen looked at him with an eyebrow raised condescendingly.

"Ari, I'm sure I have already told you the details of the new formula; in order to produce the best results, I need fresh DNA for every batch of clones. I am planning to create an army of super-mutants, so I'm going to continue to need Igneous, alive, so it can produce a constant supply of DNA for my experiments; in fact, I have been collecting new DNA from Igneous for the past few weeks."

Dr. Gunther-Hagen chuckled softly, and Ari felt sick. Of course, considering everything that sick psychopath was putting Iggy through, it wouldn't be hard at all to get some DNA from the poor freak… But at least he had a reason to keep him alive. Now he just had to warn them somehow, without Dr. Gunther-Hagen seeing – then he could get both of the bird freaks out safe.

"Sir, I need to, uh, use the restroom please," he lied nervously, and the doctor simply nodded disinterestedly, not taking his eyes away from the security screen. Ari accepted that as permission to leave, and he quickly took off down the halls, walking briskly past scientists in white lab coats and gloves, as well as fellow Erasers from his squad. Today there had been a strange amount of activity going on, and it seemed like everyone he passed quickly looked the other way, and even some of the Erasers suddenly had the nerve to smirk at him as he walked by. It was infuriating to think that they were all hiding something from him, but he brushed it aside – he had much more urgent things to worry about.

He was almost to the elevator that would take him strait down to the cells, thinking frantically in his head how he would get the warning to Iggy and Fang without Dr. Gunther-Hagen finding out, when he heard more footsteps ahead of him. It sounded like only one person, which was strange – usually, whether they were scientists or Erasers, the people in the lab walked in groups. A flicker of hesitation passed over him, but he told himself that it was probably just some guy coming back with coffee for the rest of the sadists that worked there. Continuing to make his way down the hall without a second thought, he rounded a corner and was stopped dead in his tracks when he came face-to-face with someone he'd known to never expect to see again.

"Ari?"

There, in front of him, was his father. Jeb Batchelder. He was wearing the same old long, white lab coat; glasses perched slightly askew on his long nose, and his short, sandy-colored hair was disheveled. He had gained several lines along his face, and there was a good deal more gray hairs scattered on his scalp than when Ari had last seen him, evidence to the stress his job put him through. His father, that he hadn't seen or heard from in months that felt like years. He'd wanted to see his dad, to show him all that he had accomplished with this new job working for Dr. Gunther-Hagen, but now that he was here, right in front of him… All he could do was stand there, gaping.

"Ari?" Jeb said again, looking just as surprised as his son. Ari just stared.

"What are you doing here?" Was all he could manage, still frozen with shock. He couldn't believe it. An array of emotions washed over him, bottled up for so long and now finally bubbling to the surface; Anger. Resentment. Bitterness. Pain. Hatred… Love. He didn't know what to believe, or what to say. His father had caught him completely off-guard.

Jeb just stared at his son, and replied, "I am in a business partnership with Dr. Gunther-Hagen. What are you doing here, Ari?" The Eraser scowled, folding his arms across his chest in an angry gesture, hoping that it hid his inner-turmoil.

"I work here," he said coldly. "Dr. Gunther-Hagen hired me to lead the rest of the squad. I'm head of lab security." Jeb seemed taken aback, a surprised and impressed expression on his prematurely lined face. Ari had to suppress a surge of unbelieving happiness; he had impressed his father! A giddy smile tried to creep up on his face, but he shoved it back down with a smug expression. "So… You're a partner with Dr. Gunther-Hagen?" He asked with a bored tone. He tried to sound indifferent, but he was still amazed that Jeb was even _here_, talking to him. Ever since he rejoined Itex, he'd done everything he could to avoid confronting his mutated son.

"Yes… As you know, Dr. Gunther-Hagen is very against Itex. I have joined him in the hopes that he will come up with a way to aid in their destruction," Jeb said. Ari rolled his eyes.

"Oh, he's got a way to get to Itex, alright," he said. "He wants to use your precious _Flock_." Though he'd become friends with Iggy and Fang, he still felt hostile towards the rest of the bird freaks. And Max… He still hated her the most.

And he still loved her more than anything.

Jeb looked surprisingly unaffected by this news, and he said, "I know. Dr. Gunther-Hagen was the one to create The Flock, so of course he wants to use what was stolen from him against the perpetrators. But Ari… Do you know that Fang and Iggy were both captured by Gunther-Hagen?" Ari snorted, but there was an expression of worry in his eyes.

"Of course. And actually… Dad, there's something I need to tell you," he blurted out, and Jeb looked startled. Ari hadn't called him dad since he left with The Flock. "Dad… He's planning to make Iggy kill Fang." Jeb's eyes widened, and Ari continued. "Iggy can't take anymore, and if Gunther-Hagen gets away with this… We can't let that happen. We have to help them escape, dad!"

Jeb was shocked. After all the time he'd taken trying to convince Ari that The Flock weren't his enemies, and never succeeded in doing anything other than making his son upset, here he was, insisting that Fang and Iggy needed to be rescued. He hardly dared to believe it, but it was all he'd been hoping for, after everything he'd put his son through… That Ari would just understand. And forgive him. Or at least, forgive his other children he'd adopted into his heart. It killed him to see them fight with each other.

"So, dad – will you help me?" Ari asked anxiously.

Jeb smiled at his son, and said, "Of course. That's actually why I came – because I heard a rumor that Fang and Iggy were being held captive here, and I wanted to investigate… But I had no idea it was this bad. How are their conditions? Have you seen them?"

Ari grimaced. His father had no idea. "They're… It's bad. Really bad." Jeb's face fell, and Ari began to tell him everything. He told him about being ordered to remove Iggy's wings (he left out the rest of the torture), and the letter, Iggy coming here to have his wings regrown. Then the children Iggy was forced to kill, and making him believe that The Flock was dead. Fang's arrival and capture. When he got to the part about Dr. Gunther-Hagen violating Iggy, Jeb's eyes grew wide with horror. He never could've imagined it would be so bad. Ari then told him about the bathtub incident, when Iggy purposely slit his wrist. Jeb got visibly pale, and Ari was glad he'd neglected to mention all the times he'd done that himself. He was mostly over the habit, but sometimes, when the pain and the loneliness got too bad… He just had to bleed.

"Ari… Where are they?" Jeb asked quietly, now desperate to see his other sons. He couldn't allow that sick scientist to hurt them any more.

"Down here," he replied, leading his father to the elevator. "Listen, I want you to go down there into the hallway. When you see cell number four, wait outside until you hear the fire alarm go off."

"You're going to set off the fire alarm?" Jeb asked warily, and Ari ignored him, placing a key into his hand.

"When you hear the signal, wait about two minutes, and then this key will unlock the door. Dr. Gunther-Hagen will be distracted with the alarm, and you should have a good ten minutes to warn them." Jeb looked at his son in amazement, unsure of how to thank him for this.

"Ari –"

"Don't talk, just go!" Jeb nodded, and he stepped into the elevator, pushing the single button inside to take him down to the cells. The doors slid closed, and Ari strode down the hall back the way he came, scanning the walls frantically for the lever that would activate the alarms. He had to hurry…

"Ari."

The Eraser's heart sank with dread. Dr. Gunther-Hagen had just stepped out of a door behind him, and was walking towards him with a smirk. _No_… He was so close, the lever he was looking for just visible ahead… But of course he couldn't pull it within his boss's sight. He would be fired, or killed, and then who would help his friends?

"I've been looking all over for you," the doctor continued, and Ari turned to face him, forcing his expression to be void of emotion. "I've decided to go and get the subjects now – I was hoping to let a friend of mine see the capabilities of my remarkable avian hybrids."

Ari's heart skipped a beat; he wanted to do it now! And he was going to show _Jeb_. A pit of horror and disgust was forming in his stomach, and it took every ounce of control he had to not let it show. He had to stay calm; he had to think of something, fast…

"Will you join me, Ari?" Gunther-Hagen asked. "I know you wouldn't want to miss this." Ari swallowed with difficulty, and nodded. He couldn't believe his luck. He had to warn Jeb, quickly, before the doctor found him outside Fang and Iggy's cell – but how?

Dr. Gunther-Hagen turned and led Ari down the long halls, and with his heart weighed down with dread, he thought, _I'm too late_.

**Oh no! Who will save our bird boys now? Maybe it will be Max? Hehe, we're getting right down to the suspense now. And what do you think about adding Jeb to the mix? I'll let you guys in on a little secret: I used to hate Jeb. I just signed him off as an uncaring, traitorous whitecoat, and left him at that. But ever since I read "Icaria" (by Kimsa Ki-Lurria), my opinion of Jeb totally changed. For all the Jeb lovers (or anyone looking for a dang good story), I suggest you look into it. It's amazing, people.**

**Review! I know I was shamefully late from my usual post date, but I'm really hoping this week will be less hectic, so please cut me some slack and send me a comment - if only for Iggy's sake!**


	31. Impossible

**'Sup readers? Yup, pandorad24 again, with chappie 31. We're going to start off with an Amber POV, and then we get right down to the action with Jeb, Ari, and then Iggy. Enjoy!**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own.

_~ Chapter 31 – Impossible ~_

We were finally on our way. To save him. I don't know how I could feel so strongly about someone I had only known for a couple days, but I would do anything to make sure Iggy got home safely – even if it meant losing my own life.

It was strange… I had never felt this way before. All I knew, was that when I saw his eyes that night… dead, distant… like deep, clear oceans revealing worlds of suffering, and I could only skim the surface. My life had never been a fairytale, but it would take a lot more grief and a lot more pain to understand what I had seen in those eyes. Those beautiful eyes… I would do anything to end his pain. He had already gone through so much, so much hurt that he didn't deserve. And the thought of those people, those awful people hurting him more… it just made me so upset and _angry_, and all I could think about was saving him; and I don't know why.

So, that's the reason I was running through the forest, dodging trees skillfully as I sped along faster than I had ever dared push myself to go. The inhuman speed came with my cheetah DNA, I guess – it wasn't as amazing or useful a power as Aurora's visions, or Arabel's invisibility, but it was good for scouting out the area before the rest went through. We were still cautious about Erasers, so Aaron had me go ahead of the van everyone else was riding in to make sure it was safe.

It was nice, because running always gave me a good to time to think. And, I'll admit… Iggy was the only thing on my mind. And not just thoughts of rescuing him and his brother, but his face kept coming up in my mind, and I pictured one of the rare times I had seen him smile… it was during the first morning after The Flock had left, just an hour or so before he ran out of the house, all upset. I was trying (and failing) to make breakfast, because Arabel had slept in and I didn't want to wake her, and Iggy offered to help. Of course I was surprised – I mean, he _was_ blind – but I accepted the offer gratefully. He gave me instructions on how to mix pancake batter while he scrambled eggs with ease, and I accidentally turned the electric mixer on too high, and batter flew everywhere, splattering us both. I immediately jumped into apologies, and I was glad he couldn't see my face burning as I rushed to get him a towel. But Iggy just cracked up, laughing at my mistake, and I found myself laughing with him. Then he offered to make the pancakes himself while I wiped the splattered mess off the walls and counter, grinning softly as he did. I couldn't help but think that he was really quite attractive when he looked happy, in a sweet, carefree sort of way. I remembered thinking that maybe I would enjoy having him live with us.

While the trees flashed passed me as I ran, Iggy was the only thing I could see – His smile. His pain-filled eyes. The sound of his laugh. The sound of his tears at night. The Iggy that The Flock used to know, and the Iggy he was now, because of all the terrible things that he didn't deserve, but had happened to him anyway. And I had to get that old Iggy back – for The Flock, and for me.

Because, I realized, at that moment, why I would go so far for Iggy. Despite only knowing him for a few days, I had somehow fallen in love with him. I loved him. I didn't know how it was possible, but everything about him felt so right – and I couldn't ever let these people hurt him again. I would kill anyone that tried.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Jeb was starting to worry. The fire alarm had not yet gone off, and he must have been waiting in that hallway for at least ten minutes. All the while, he just stared ahead at the gleaming metal door in front of him, and the thought that two of his sons were just beyond it made butterflies ravage his stomach with nervous anticipation. He hadn't seen these boys in two years, and both of them believed that he had betrayed them – and, though it was only for the greater good, he couldn't deny that he had done just that. He had broken the hearts of the entire Flock by leaving, even if that was not his intention, and now they all hated him for it. So, even though that alarm should have rung already, and it had to soon if both of the boys here were going to survive, he was dreading the moment that it finally would, and he would have to go in that room and face them. Just the thought of it terrified him.

Suddenly, he heard a noise somewhere behind him, and he spun around, and found himself looking at Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen, followed by a very nervous-looking Ari, stepping out of the elevator at the beginning of the hall. His heart jumped into his throat and then fell into his stomach, seeing the cruel and slightly surprised glint in the doctor's eyes as they fell on him, and he felt his anxiousness quickly turn into pure dread. _No_. They couldn't be too late, Iggy and Fang needed them, their lives were in danger… Both of them. Because, the same as Fang being killed no matter what Iggy did, without Fang, Iggy would surely kill himself, or have his heart and sanity ripped apart instead; There was no doubt in Jeb 's mind.

"Why Jeb, I must admit, I didn't expect to see you down here," Hans said with his usual smirk, walking up to Jeb and grasping his hand, shaking it warmly.

"Hans," Jeb greeted, returning the handshake. "It's been a while."

"Indeed, it has," Hans agreed, letting go of his hand and looking at him with a quizzical expression. "Now, if you wanted a more extensive view of the building, you could've asked for a tour," he said.

Jeb said the first thing that came to his mind, lying casually, " Oh, I was heading for your office when Ari happened to find me; he thought you might like to see me about something down here, so he brought me down and went to find you."

"Really?" Hans said, looking back at Ari, who just nodded at the floor. "Well then, thank you Ari, you saved me a lot of time. Now, Jeb, there is something I think you would be very interested to see…" The doctor grinned, and pulled a key out of the pocket of his lab coat. Stepping past Jeb and unlocking the door, he pushed it open and stood in the doorway, casting a faint shadow across the dark room. "Are you awake, my pet?" He purred predatorily, and Jeb felt sick, remembering all the things that Hans had done to Iggy and Fang.

They heard a startled whimper from inside the room, and a weak, shaky voice say, "No, please, not again… not so soon… please…" _Iggy_. Jeb started forward at the sound of his son's voice, but Ari held out a hand to stop him, mouthing a silent "no". Thankfully, Hans hadn't seemed to notice.

"Jeb, come inside," he said called. "These are my avian hybrids." Jeb heard a quiet gasp from inside the cell, and he reluctantly stepped inside the dank, freezing room. His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and what he saw made his heart wrench with overwhelming sadness for his sons. Fang was nearest to the door, chains trailing from his wrists to where they were bolted to the wall. He had on only a pair of dark, tattered jeans, and his ribs were poking through the olive-toned skin, which was littered with long, pinkish scars all along his torso. His raven-colored hair was dirty and hung in limp, matted strands around his face, and onyx eyes met his in a mixture of shock and anger. Jeb couldn't bear to look into them, and he let his gaze drift towards the back of the room, where Hans was staring. His gaze fell on a pale, trembling figure, and his eyes widened in fresh horror.

It was Iggy. He sat with his back against the wall, staring unseeingly up at Gunther-Hagen, his eyes haunted and echoing complete terror and submission. He wore absolutely nothing around his painfully thin frame, clearly exposing his pale skin stretched tightly over his ribcage, his once strong shoulders and arms now bony and weak. He looked practically emaciated, even more malnourished then Fang, and he bore the same scars as his brother along his chest and abdomen. He was covered in dirt and grime, and, judging by the suspicious stains that marked the floor… probably more disgusting things as well.

Bile rose in Jeb's throat, but he swallowed it back down; he was going to be okay. He was going to be calm. But oh, gosh – the look in his son's eyes… it was breaking Jeb's heart. The last time he had seen Iggy, he'd been twelve… not long after his birthday, actually. He was making a bomb in the living room of the E-shaped house with his little brother, Gazzy, who'd been just six at the time. He was grinning at something Fang had said, who was lounging on the couch with Max sprawled beside him, watching television. Nudge was nearby at the kitchen table, teaching Angel how to sound out the words in the beat-up old book Jeb had used to teach each of the children how to read, with the exception of Iggy.

They had all been so happy, smiling. It had only been two years, but they were all so much younger then than they were now. Since the day he'd left, they had all been through so much, more grief and pain than most people suffered in a lifetime. And Iggy… he had suffered the most. He had endured horrors that Jeb had never dreamed of possibly happening to his adopted son, had been damaged both physically and emotionally in every way imaginable. And, looking into his eyes now, those haunted, blind eyes… it made Jeb want to go over and hold him close, tell him that it would be okay like he used to when he was a child at The School, suffering torture and experimentation by the hands of cruel scientists. But that right was no longer his; he had betrayed them, and now he must pay the price.

"Are they not remarkable, Jeb?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen asked, his gaze still flickering hungrily over every inch of Iggy's skin, and Jeb's blood boiled in anger. Despite everything, in Jeb's eyes Iggy was still his son, and the thought of him being violated and used by this man made him more furious than he could stand. But he would have to stay calm and indifferent, because if he lost Hans's trust, it could ruin any faint hope of rescue for the two boys.

"They are," Jeb replied, keeping his face emotionless as he gazed upon Iggy as well, his eyes locked on his son's blind ones.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Hans continued. "You know they have wings."

"So I've heard." The doctor chuckled, and reached forward to grab a fistful of Iggy's grimy strawberry-blonde hair, earning a whimper of terror from Iggy, fearing he was going to be touched again. Hans yanked him painfully to his feet, and took hold of one of Iggy's large wings, unfolding it by force to show off the amazing eight-foot span of black and white feathers proudly to Jeb. Iggy's weak legs shook under his weight, and he tried to tug the wing out of the doctor's hold, but Hans only gripped tighter, and he plucked out a couple of the large feathers, causing Iggy to wince.

"Be still, Igneous," Hans hissed in annoyance, yanking Iggy's head back by his hair, and running his other hand over the once silky, sleek feathers of Iggy's wing, that were now grimy and stuck up in places. Jeb watched in carefully concealed anger, and he noticed Ari looking on the scene sadly. He didn't like this any more than Jeb did. Somehow, Iggy and Fang had become his best friends, and he hated seeing them suffer.

"Alright, I think it's time we took them with us – Ari, take care of the other male, and then make sure Igneous is secured. We wouldn't want them to escape," Hans said. He released Iggy's hair and wing, and in his weak, emaciated state, he crumpled onto the floor, cowering at Gunther-Hagen's feet, who planted a hard kick on his shoulder. "Pathetic," he sneered, and turned to watch as Ari wordlessly replaced Fang's shackles with handcuffs – Fang sent him a nervous, questioning look, and Ari ever so slightly shook his head, signaling him to keep quiet. The whole thing could be ruined if they were seen interacting with one another.

Ari placed handcuffs around Iggy's wrists as well, and pulled him to his feet, as gently as he could without raising suspicion, and led him to the door. He held it open for Gunther-Hagen and Jeb, and then followed close behind with the two restrained boys.

As they all piled into the elevator, Jeb knew he had to save his sons from the fate that awaited them, _but how? _His mind strained to form a plan, knowing he only had a few minutes before they reached their destination, and it would be too late. _Think Jeb, think_…

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari followed His father and Dr. Gunther-Hagen down the long halls of the lab, pushing Iggy and Fang carefully along in front of him. He felt like he failed them, and now he was forced to literally lead them to their fate; one thing was for certain – if they didn't do something, Fang was going to die today. And then Iggy would die soon also, one way or another. Starvation. Sickness. But, the most likely way was for him to commit suicide.

They made their way through the halls in single-file, and Ari could feel the eyes of the passing scientists boring into him and the bird boys; Iggy must have sensed it too, because his face was burning red with embarrassment at the exposure, with his hands chained behind him. Of course, Gunther-Hagen hadn't bothered to think about giving him any clothes, and though Ari would have given him his coat as always, it would've surely made the doctor suspicious. Fang walked directly in front of him though, somewhat blocking the curious stares of scientists, who he glared at fiercely as they passed. This only seemed to intrigue them more; practically all of the experiments there didn't dare to look the scientists in the eye, for fear of being subjected to more of their cruelty. Fang of course only cared about Iggy's safety, and fearlessly stared the scientists down, as if daring them to come closer. Ari had to admit, the bird kids had guts. If only it could save them this time.

It didn't take long to reach the room they were looking for, and Ari's heart was heavy with dread as he led his friends inside. Iggy's eyes widened, and The Eraser knew he was able to see everything; this was the same room he was forced to kill in before. The corpses were all still there, sprawled along the floor, their eyes staring blankly up at the blindingly white ceiling they could no longer see. The lifeless bodies were slowly beginning to decompose, leaving a foul smell throughout the bright room, and Ari saw Jeb lift a hand to cover his nose.

"Do you remember this room, my pet?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen whispered, grinning nastily. Iggy began to shake, staring wide-eyed at the room before him, taking in the horrific sight.

"W-Why did you bring me here?" Iggy asked in a barely audible voice, unable to tear his eyes away from the corpses of the mutant children. The doctor chuckled.

"You haven't guessed already?" He said, looking at Iggy's face with cruel amusement. "I have someone else I need you to kill for me, Igneous."

Fang turned to stare at Gunther-Hagen, an appalled expression on his face. Of course, he didn't know what Iggy had been forced to do in this room… Iggy's trembling only grew worse, and he whispered, "No… not again. I-I can't. Not again." Dr. Gunther-Hagen laughed.

"Oh, but you will, Igneous," he said. "Would you like to see who?" Iggy didn't move, as if by pretending it wasn't happening he could make it all go away. The doctor didn't wait for an answer, however, and he grasped a handful of Fang's raven hair, and threw him to the ground in front of Iggy. His scared and confused onyx eyes met Iggy's, which filled with horror. "Igneous… I need you to kill your brother for me."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

My mind went blank with terror. He wanted me to kill Fang. He wanted me to kill _Fang_. My brother. My best friend. He was going to make me kill him, just like all the others. "N-no." That was the only answer. Because I couldn't do this. There was no way he could make me do this. "No."

"No?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen said sympathetically. "Well then, I guess Ari here is just going to have to send him up in flames…"

"No!" I shouted, panicking. "Please… don't make me do this. J-just kill me. Please, just let him go. Kill me instead."

"Are you begging, pet?" Gunther-Hagen said. "How pathetic."

"Please!" I screamed, desperate tears starting to gather in my eyes. "Kill me! Kill me! Let Fang go, just kill me, please… please…" Gunther-Hagen sneered.

"Quiet, Igneous – he will be killed one way or another. Now, which will it be? Choose now, or I will have Ari choose for you."

"N-no. No. No, no, no, no…" I was going into panic mode, my breaths coming in short and ragged, and I backed away from my brother on the floor, till my shoulders bumped against the surprisingly cold bright wall. I couldn't do this. There was no way I could decide, because I would never have him die painfully; but actually killing him myself… no. I wouldn't. I couldn't. But I had to make a decision soon, or Ari was going to… he was… oh, gosh. I felt sick. I just wanted to die, I wanted it so bad, but Fang would be killed painfully with me gone… On the other hand, he would be killed by _me_ if I stayed. No, no, they couldn't make me decide, I couldn't do this, I couldn't, I couldn't…

"Igneous," Dr. Gunther-Hagen said sharply. "Choose _now_."

"I can't," I said, my voice quivering. "Please, don't make me. I can't. Just let Fang go. Please." A hand grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, forcing my gaze away from the floor to look into the doctor's cold eyes. They were just as cruel as I remembered, the last time I had been in this room… but now I was terrified of him. After everything that had happened to me since, I had learned to be completely submissive to this man. If I wasn't… Fang would be hurt as well. Oh, gosh. I couldn't do this, I couldn't…

"Shut up," Gunther-Hagen hissed, digging his fingernails into my scalp. "Just kill it and get it over with, what are you waiting for? Answer me!"

"I… I can't kill him," I said, staring back into the doctor's fierce eyes. "He's my brother. I can't. Please, just let him go."

Gunther-Hagen's lips curled into a snarl, and he released my hair, a disgusted expression on his face. "Pathetic," he spat. "You were meant to kill. It's in your blood. I created you to be a weapon, not a sniveling little weakling! Kill it _now!_"

I shook my head, mumbling a constant stream of, "I can't, I can't, please let him go, I can't…" I was shaking all over, and I was starting to get light-headed, I felt sick, I couldn't do this, I couldn't do it, no, no, no…

"Iggy," Fang said quietly, and I forced myself to look at him, gasping for breath. I couldn't do this, I couldn't, I couldn't breathe… "Iggy, you need to calm down," he said. "You're having a panic attack. Just calm down, take deep, slow breaths…" Fang's voice was soothing and calm, and as difficult as it was to focus on anything but the issue at hand, I obediently slowed my breathing down. "Now Iggy, I need you to listen to me," Fang said, and his dark eyes met mine. He was completely calm, and there wasn't a trace of fear in his expression. I was amazed at how easily he seemed to be handling this. Didn't he get it? He was about to die! Because of me… "Iggy. Just relax. It's going to be okay."

"No, no…" I said, shaking my head again. "You're going to… I can't, I can't…"

"I know," Fang said. "It's okay, Iggy. You don't have to. Just let Ari do it. I'll be okay."

I gaped at him, stunned. What? No, I couldn't watch him die like that, I couldn't, I didn't want him to be in pain… "Fang, no," I said, starting to panic again. "I can't let you d-die like that, I can't…"

"Iggy, you have to calm down," Fang reminded me, and I struggled to keep my breathing under control. "Listen to me. I know it would kill you to do it yourself. I don't want you to be in any more pain. You don't have to feel guilty, just let Ari do it. Trust me, I would rather die like that than see you hurt."

"Fang…" I couldn't believe he would choose such a horrible death for himself… just for _me_. I was the reason he was here! I was nothing, I was worthless. But he was willing to die for me. "Fang, I…"

"It's okay," he said. "You would do the same for me, right?" I nodded my head vigorously, and tears started to well up in my eyes. Of course I would, I would do anything to keep my brother from being hurt. Oh, gosh. I couldn't believe this was happening. My brother, my best friend… was going to die. And I couldn't do anything to stop it. I didn't want to live here without him, I didn't want to live…

"Alright, the love fest is over," Dr. Gunther-Hagen said impatiently, and he motioned to Ari. "Kill it."

"No!" I wailed, the tears slipping down my face. My breathing immediately kicked back into high gear, and I started sobbing. I was completely losing control, but I didn't care, I couldn't let Fang die, I didn't want him to leave… "Please no, please!" I begged to anyone that would listen, and I saw Ari walk past me towards Fang, and I completely lost it, falling to my knees and sobbing hysterically. "No, no…"

Ari was carrying that same container of gasoline, and with a mournful expression, he unscrewed the cap and dumped it over Fang's head, who shivered in the sudden cold. The Eraser then drew a lighter from his pocket, but he just held it, apparently finding it extremely difficult to commit the murder. "What are you waiting for, Ari?" Dr. Gunther-Hagen said impatiently. "Kill it!"

Ari just looked up at Gunther-Hagen, and said, very quietly, "No."

"What?" The doctor hissed, a furious expression on his face.

"I said no." Ari dropped the lighter, and it fell harmlessly to the floor. "I'm done being a murderer."

Everyone stared at him in shock, and the young Eraser scowled. "I don't need you, or this job. You're a total psycho, and everything you have me do is sick and wrong. I'm done. I quit."

Dr. Gunther-Hagen looked like he was going to explode with anger. "Fine," he spat. "You honestly think I need a worthless mutt working for me? I only hired you because I thought you were capable of disposing of the weaklings I needed taken care of, but I guess I was wrong. Well, you know what they say – if you want something done, do it yourself." Before anyone could make a move to stop it, Gunther-Hagen picked up the lighter Ari had dropped, and clicked it, bending down so the flame reached the puddle of gasoline on the floor.

I had never seen one of my own explosions. Fire was always a thing of mystery to me, and I had only ever felt the rush of gentle heat on my skin, smelled the intoxicating smoke as it billowed into the sky. So when the floor suddenly burst into a rush of light and burning color, I was stunned. Any other time, I would have said it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen; but these flames were dancing rapidly toward my brother. And I was terrified. "Fang!" Someone was screaming as the flames licked at Fang's torso, and realized it was me – Fang looked too shocked to make a sound. The world was spinning and falling around me, and someone rushed toward the dancing light that would soon engulf my brother. Their elbow slammed into my chest in their haste, and I was pushed backward, my head smashing hard against the floor.

Then the white world fell into familiar blackness once again.

**Shocked? I've gotta say, this is probably my worst cliffy yet. What will happen to Iggy and Fang? Well, you guys are just going to have to find out. ;)**

**Pretty please, review! This chapter was fun to write, but _hard_ and it took a while, so I would appreciate some feedback on it. Let me know what you guys thought!**


	32. Silence

**Okay, guys. You all seemed really desperate for this chapter, so here it is. First will be an Aaron POV, then Fang (did you really think I would kill him?), and Iggy. Enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own.**

_~ Chapter 32 – Silence ~_

_Here we go again_, I thought, as I drove down the long, quiet road that ran straight through the middle of nowhere. We finally had a lead on Iggy and Fang! It had been four weeks since I had last seen Iggy, and his brother had been gone for nearly as long. Who knew what those psychos were doing to them? Well, we would find out soon; and when we did, I was going to beat those sickos to a bloody pulp for messing with my friends.

I spotted a flash of color rushing through the forest beside us, and I promptly pulled the van over to the side of the road so Amber could get in. She flitted over so fast I could barely see her, and Arabel pulled the side door open so she could climb in, looking exhausted and panting slightly. She had incredible stamina when it came to running, unlike actual cheetahs, but even she gave out after a couple hours. Handing her a bottle of water we had nicked off of a Seven-Eleven on the way, I asked, "How does it look?"

"No sign of them," she said breathlessly, before gulping the bottle down. Arabel pulled the door closed again and I got back onto the road, and Amber climbed into one of the back seats of the giant van. Curling up and yawning, she mumbled, "Wake me up in two hours, I'll scout out the rest of the road." She was passed out within seconds.

I shook my head, smiling slightly. "She really does amaze me sometimes," I said. "I can't believe she actually has the energy to go out again today."

"I don't think it's just stamina pushing her on…" Arabel said, smirking slightly. I looked at her confusedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," she said innocently, and I scowled.

"Whatever." Girls are so vague, it drives me crazy. I just couldn't wait to get to Germany and hopefully save our friends; I'd promised Max that I would.

Max. I don't know what it was about her, but every time I was around her… All the stress and responsibility of leading my family seemed to fall away, and I could just be… well, I could be _me_. And it felt great. But now that her memories were gone… it was back to square one for the both of us. I missed that Max, I missed talking to her, being around her… And that's part of why I was doing this. Of course I cared about Iggy and Fang's safety, but maybe if I brought them back… Max's memories would come back too. It was a long shot, but worth it if I could have Max back. I would keep my promise this time.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ugh. My head hurt so freaking bad… and where was I? I didn't remember falling asleep…

Then it all came rushing back to me – Gunther-Hagen, Ari, and _Jeb_ coming into our cell, taking Iggy and I to this horrible room filled with corpses of children that Iggy had apparently been forced to kill, Gunther-Hagen wanting Iggy to kill _me_, Iggy falling apart, and then that flash of light, the rush of heat, the awful, burning pain… dead. I was supposed to be dead. I was dead, right?

I decided there was only one way to find out. I attempted to move the fingers on my right hand, and I was able to wiggle them around a little. Hardly daring to believe it, I clenched my hand and found something soft and damp under me. Slowly, I cracked my eyes open, and was greeted by a world of green and bright light.

Yup. That proves it – I was definitely dead. I was becoming aware of the sun above me, filtering through the green leaves of the trees all around, bathing me in warmth. It felt so good… I hadn't felt the sun on me in weeks. I lied there on the grass and soaked it in, the sunlight and forest all around me. So, this was death. It was so calm… I felt like it was the first time I'd had peace in so long. I only wished that Iggy could enjoy it too.

I took some time staring up at the green leaves and the sun, and then I rolled my head to the side to look around me. My eyes flew open, and I gasped slightly with shock. "Ari?"

Ari looked over at me from the small fire he was trying to make, and the Eraser gave me a toothy grin, showing off his large canines. "Hey, freak. You're finally awake."

I gaped at him. "But… I'm… I'm dead!" Ari, still grinning, shook his head.

"Your side got burnt up pretty bad, but you're definitely alive. Promise." I couldn't believe it. I was… alive?

"Where… Where are we?" I asked, gazing around at the surrounding trees. "What happened?" Then a sudden thought struck my mind. "Where's Iggy?"

Ari's face fell at the last question, and he replied, "We're still on the island, near the beach. What happened was, when that fire caught you, I threw my coat over you and put out the flames before it could get up to your hair, where most of the gasoline was. Then I just took you and ran, and apparently Dr. Gunther-Hagen didn't care about either of us enough to try to stop me. I stopped here when I was sure no one was following us, and I treated your burns as best I could…"

"And Iggy's still there," I said quietly, answering the question for myself. Ari looked at me with a mournful expression.

"I tried… I wanted to get him too, but when I put the fire out, Erasers poured in and I didn't have my gun, whereas they were all armed. So I quickly picked you up and escaped out the other locked door, breaking it down and booking it for the exit. Like I said, no one followed me out. I guess all they cared about was making sure Iggy didn't go anywhere… I would've taken the Erasers on, but I was carrying you, and I wanted to make sure you got out safe with those burns… I'm really sorry, Fang." My throat was getting tighter, and I just nodded. _Iggy_…

He was still there. He was still in that heckhole, while I was out here, soaking up the sun and enjoying my freedom. It was back to square one. Oh, gosh. What was Gunther-Hagen doing with him now? I shuddered to think about it, and I wasn't even there to comfort him… Not like I was much of a comfort anyway. I was just a useless failure.

"Don't beat yourself up, Fang," Ari said, practically reading my mind. "It was in no way your fault. We just didn't have a chance at the moment to save him, but trust me, we _will _get him back. Just as soon as your burns heal."

My burns… Up until then, I didn't notice any pain, but as I woke up completely I could feel a mild throbbing in my left side, from my chest down to my stomach. I turned my head to look down at the source of the pain, and found a large area of nasty pink scar tissue covering the entire left side of my torso. I propped myself into a sitting position, sending horrible, burning pain slicing through my wounds, and I craned my neck to look behind me. The burns wrapped around to my back, and I saw, dismayed, that my left wing had received minor burns as well, the feathers singed off completely in places.

"It doesn't look too pretty," Ari said, "and I don't think the scars will ever go away. But I think the burns on your wing will definitely make a full recovery, so don't worry about flying again."

I nodded, and lowered myself back onto the grass, wincing. The burns themselves didn't concern me, it was only pain, and would soon heal; but not at all soon enough for my liking. As long as I still needed to recover from this, I was completely useless to save Iggy. I could just imagine what Gunther-Hagen was doing to him now… Images of Iggy in horrible pain flashed through my mind, screaming, sobbing, crumpled up on the floor with tears streaming down his face. I had seen him that way so many times, and the memories of every evil thing that had been done to him would be ingrained in my brain forever. Every time he had been hurt, all I'd wanted to do was make it better, to tell him it would be okay, to take him away from that place and all the pain it brought him. It killed me every time to see those things, and to be able to do nothing. And now I was free, away from the eyes of Gunther-Hagen and everyone else, in the perfect position to rescue my brother – with nothing to stop me except for a few freaking burns. I had to recover as soon as possible. Iggy was still in that nightmare, and he still needed me.

_I'll come back for you soon, bro_, I thought, as I closed my eyes to rest again, hoping it would speed up the healing process. _I promise. This time, I won't fail you. Never again_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I sat there, staring ahead at nothing. I had woken up hours ago, chained in my cell once again.

Alone.

There was no other sound of gentle breathing. No rattle of chains. No quiet voice, telling me it would be okay. There was nothing. Only cold silence.

Fang was my only companion in this nightmare. He was my brother. My best friend. He comforted me in The School, helped me figure things out as a recently made blind kid, was always there to listen when I needed to talk about anything my teenage hormones and difficult lifestyle could dish out for me. He was always the one that described the world around me, was constantly helping me when it got too hard. And he had been there for me through all of this recent tragedy. I relied on him, I trusted him with my life. He was my brother for crying out loud, I loved the guy.

And now he was dead.

Maybe those words would have caused me pain, if I had been able to feel anything at all. I think I'd lost the ability to feel the moment I woke up, and realized the truth.

Fang was dead. It was my fault.

The words seemed to echo in the silence; the silence itself only proved their significance. Fang was gone. Dead. My brother simply didn't exist anymore. And I was the reason for him going away.

I could have cried. I could have denied the whole thing, and called out loud for my brother, hoping against hope that he was still here with me. I could have screamed to the world how unfair it all was. I could have broken down and lost it, but I just sat there, and took in the silence. It seemed like an actual force, pressing down on me, seeping into my skin and running through my veins, turning all feeling cold. I felt like I had long since been broken, shattered, and now I was just decomposing, and withering away. Dying. Maybe, if I was lucky, it really would take my life. Because, even though I felt nothing, I was far from the peace I so desperately needed, the rest I was craving. I wanted to die. I guess I never really had left square one. I still wanted to die. Some things never change. I would always be in restless numbness. Fang would always be dead. And I would never be whole again.

Suddenly, something broke the seemingly eternal silence, and I recognized with cold dread the sound of the cell door being pushed open. I knew what that noise meant. It meant his cold, rough, horrible hands all over me again. It meant excruciating pain and unbearable shame, another part of me dying slowly as those stupid tears would roll down. It spelled out every reason why I was craving peace. "Hello, my pet." Some things would never change. Like how I would never get used to this, and he would never grow tired of causing me pain. Life is cruel that way, always at a standstill. _Just give me peace_.

Dr. Gunther-Hagen approached me, and I sensed him kneeling down in front of me. I stared with my gaze fixed on the point where I knew his eyes were, and waited for what was coming. There was nothing else I could do. Sure, he couldn't threaten Fang anymore, but I realized now that my fear would force me to submit myself to him regardless. Because, he had once whispered in my ear, _If you wish to die, I swear to you that you will live for endless years to come if you do not obey me, pet_. I could do nothing but cling to the hope that, one of these miserable days, he would finally offer me that rest I had been longing for. It was the last spark of faith I had left.

"Igneous…" He breathed, skimming his hands across my chest. "You've been a very naughty pet." _How do you figure?_ I wanted to say, but I was forbidden to speak in front of him. Oh… was that what he was angry about? I'd been careless before, in that horrible room…

But that wasn't the reason at all.

"I ordered you to kill your brother… and you openly disobey me. And instead you let him die painfully. He's dead, and you are the reason for it. Now I have no choice but to punish you for your actions." He was right. I deserved to be punished for what had happened to Fang. I was a murderer, a monster. I deserved this. I shivered, as he trailed his hands down, and began handling me roughly in that particularly sensitive area. I struggled not to moan, but it was impossible. Gosh, I was disgusting. I deserved every moment of this humiliation.

"I think you're enjoying your punishment a little too much, pet," Gunther-Hagen purred, and I shook my head.

"N –" I began, but was cut off by another low moan. I hated this, I _hated_ it. He could make me do whatever he wanted, and he knew it. I felt so ashamed and betrayed by myself. I just wanted to curl up in hole and die.

Apparently he decided that I was lying, and he undressed himself and began to hurt me instead. I screamed and the tears rolled down, but the pain was so much easier to deal with than the shame of him touching me.

This went on for hours. Just how many, I couldn't tell you. It was all a haze of pain. While it dragged on and on, the only thing on my mind was how torn apart my life had become. I had lost everything, including my brother. And I would give anything to have it all back. _I want my life back_, I thought, as I felt myself slipping out of consciousness from the pain. _I just want it all to end_…

**-Sniffles- Okay, that was seriously muchas depressing. Poor Iggy. I feel so bad for him, thinking his brother's dead, and that it's all his fault… And now he's all alone. It's just really sad… :(**

**Anyway, review, tell me what you thought about that chappie. Thanks!**


	33. Lost Hope

**Hey guys, here's chapter 33 (sorry, it would've been out sooner, but we had some friends come over unexpectedly). Starting out will be a Max POV, then Fang, followed by Jeb. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: For the last time, I DO NOT OWN Maximum Ride. That goes for the whole thing, from here on out (that'll save space for future chapters).**

_~ Chapter 33 – Lost Hope ~_

I was beginning to discover that my new friends weren't normal.

_I_ wasn't normal.

I had watched Amber run off into the forest with astonishment, and the first thought in my mind was, _oh my gosh, they're freaking superheroes! _Mister blonde (who I discovered was named Aaron) noticed me staring blankly at the spot where she'd disappeared, and he explained the whole story to me during the long ride in the van.

They were mutants. We were all mutants.

I don't know how I hadn't noticed the giant _wings_ attached to me before, but now I was dying to jump out of the van and pull them out. What did mutant kid wings look like? Could I really… fly? Aaron told me we had come from a lab full of real life mad scientists, that did horrible, unforgivable things to us, but… it's not like I could recall any of the abuse. And, I thought that anyone who would give someone the ability to fly, actually _fly_ through the sky, free as a bird, couldn't be _that_ bad; right?

_Destroying Itex is your life's goal, Maximum_.

Ah. It was the 'Voice' again. Pfft. I didn't know what this 'Itex' thing was about, but right now, my life's goal was to save my family, and then my own memories. All the 'destroying' was going to have to wait.

Suddenly, Amber was in sight again, after just going back out little more than five minutes ago. She rushed up into the empty lane beside us, slowing down so she was running at the same speed as the van, and she knocked furiously on Aaron's window. He came to a steady stop, pulling over to the side of the road, and Amber threw open the side door to shout in a panicked tone, "Erasers, just ahead!" Everyone's eyes widened, with the exception of my forgetful family and I, and I felt the impulse to laugh. Was she serious? Like, the harmless pink things at the ends of pencils? Everyone else looked anxious, though, and I started to wonder what erasers _they_ were thinking of.

Then I saw them. And, trust me, they shared no resemblance with the soft office supplies whatsoever. They came swooping in on giant, leathery wings, with vaguely human faces covered in fur, fangs bared. They landed heavily on the dark street, closing in on the van, and I sat stalk-still in my seat, frozen with fear. What were those things? What did they want with us? _How do we escape? _

"Max," Aaron murmured under his breath, not tearing his eyes away from the approaching monsters. "Get out of here."

"What?" I yelped, terrified at the idea of leaving the van with those _things_ outside.

"Your wings," he hissed, tensing as the creatures came closer. "Get out your wings and fly away. Escape, Max, before it's too late!"

"But, I don't know how to fly!" I exclaimed, starting to panic. Sure, I wanted to try out my wings, but maybe with a little less pressure riding on the takeoff.

"Yes you do, Max!" Aaron said, reaching past me and throwing the passenger door open. "Go!"

He was crazy. He wanted me to go out there. He was totally crazy.

Suddenly, there was a loud _thump_ as one of the monsters landed on the roof of the van, and I ripped off my seatbelt and made a mad dash towards the forest. I guess I was crazy too.

_Wings, wings, c'mon, use your wings!_ I shouted in my brain, willing myself to be pulled into the air and lifted into the safety of the twilight sky. I tried to push out the feathery limbs, but, to my dismay, my shirt held them back. Well, it was either take off my shirt or die. I chose to play stripper, and ripped the top over my head as I ran, silently praying I at least had on a bra under it, and finally flashed out amazing, huge wings. I saw out of the corner of my eye that they were a pleasant, dark brown with white tips (gee, how patriotic), but I didn't have time to inspect them further as I ran for my life, flapping my newly discovered wings frantically, trying to get more than two feet of air. _Come on_, I wanted to scream, _up and away already!_

Finally, a miraculous gust of wind caught under me, and before I knew it I was actually being lifted from the ground, climbing higher and higher until I neared the treetops. I let out a whoop of relieved euphoria, flapping my wings down hard, pushing me even farther from the world below and into the darkening sky. This was amazing! I couldn't imagine a better feeling, I was so strong, so free, literally on top of the world –

And then, it all came crashing down when I felt a clawed hand grip my ankle. "No!" I squeaked out in surprise and fear, flapping my wings madly trying to get away, but the monster wouldn't budge. _Stupid, stupid! _I shouted in my mind, _How could you have forgotten that these dogs have wings too?_ I felt close to tears, desperately trying to escape the creature's grip, but I was completely powerless against it. That was it; I was going to die, right here, without even getting the chance to see my brothers. I had failed them. _I'm sorry_, I thought, as if I could somehow silently communicate to them how truly regretful I was that they wouldn't be saved from whatever horrible things they were going through.

"Max!" Someone was screaming my name from below, and I realized it was Aaron, who fought two 'Erasers' at once in tight hand-to-hand. What amazed me was that he actually appeared to be _winning_. "Fight them, Max!" He yelled, landing a hard kick on one of the monster's snouts.

"What?" I said, shocked. How could he expect me to fight these freaks? They were huge, and I didn't even know how to fight!

"Max, trust me!" He shouted, narrowly avoiding a heavy swing from one of the brutes he was fighting, and landing a punch of his own in it's gut. "You're a natural!"

Crazy. This boy really was crazy. But, I decided that I had nothing to lose at this point, and I swung my free foot down to hit the monster in it's jaw. It growled, but not in a threatening way; more like it was simply annoyed. "Just give up already, we don't want to hurt you!"

I was startled by the sound of the mutant's gruff voice; despite their semi-human appearances, I really hadn't expected them to be capable of speaking. I quickly pulled myself out of it however, and snarled in my most threatening tone (which came out as more of a whimper), "Like heck you don't!" The 'Eraser' rolled it's eyes, and yanked hard on my ankle. I wasn't expecting it, and I ended up in the mutant's arms, kicking and screaming desperately to try to get away from it. It just held me tightly, sneering in annoyance, and flew us both down to the street below.

I was dropped unceremoniously to the asphalt when the monster touched down, and I scrambled to my feet, about to make another run for it, but I realized the other 'Erasers' had me surrounded. I looked around me frantically, and saw that my friends were struggling as well, fighting the other mutants fearlessly, but eventually becoming overwhelmed by the massive strength and numbers of the monsters. They dragged us all together and formed a circle around us, keeping us from escaping. I could have tried flying away again, but I knew they would catch up just like the last time. Feeling dismayed, I chanced a glance over to Aaron, who looked back with burning guilt and regret in his eyes. We would most likely never have a chance to save my brothers now.

"Alright, freaks," one of the giant mutants said, looking over all of us. "We've been given orders to bring you with us."

"You aren't taking us anywhere," Arabel snarled, glaring at the 'Eraser' as if daring him to come closer. It just rolled it's eyes.

"Listen, brats," it said. "The 'oh great and noble' Ari ordered us to come down here and find you, so we could give you a ride up to the island."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Aaron hissed angrily. "What island?"

"Are all you runts this clueless?" The monster barked. "Dr. Gunther-Hagen's lab headquarters. I believe you freaks are looking for some birdies being held there."

Aaron's eyes widened, and I let out a small gasp. Was this it? Was that where my brothers were? "How can we trust you?" Ash piped up, sending a glare at the surrounding mutants, and the one talking to us smirked.

"Do you honestly think I'd be here wasting my time on you runts if I wasn't made to by my pansy of a boss?" It said. "Ari follows the birdies around like a little puppy now. He promised us all more cash than psycho Gunther-Hagen gives us, and it was probably a bad decision to believe him, but here we are. Now do you freaks want a ride, or not?"

"No," Aaron said immediately, looking firmly decided. He was obviously the one calling the shots, and probably knew best, so I nodded my head in agreement. We would find my brothers on our own.

"Wait, Aaron," said a small voice behind me, and I turned in surprise to see Amber, biting her lip. "We'll never find them without help."

"Amber, are you crazy?" Aaron said exasperatedly. "They're _Erasers_. We can't trust them any more than we can trust the whitecoats that ruined our lives!" Amber flinched, but she looked back at Aaron with total conviction.

"Trust me, Aaron. We have nothing to lose," she said. "And, if you don't come with me, I'm going anyway. I will keep my promise."

Aaron stared at her in shock. I couldn't believe she would go so far for my brothers. Suddenly, Arabel spoke up too. "I'm with Amber," she said, and Amber smiled gratefully at her.

"I'll follow you anywhere, woman," Axel said to his girlfriend, grinning. "And I guess the same goes for mister talkative over here, too." Aro just nodded, throwing an arm around both Amber and his twin.

"I go with my sister!" Ash said, holding the hand of little Aurora, who looked up at Aaron with her piercing blue eyes and smiled.

"It's okay, Aaron," she said. "The Erasers are telling the truth. They will lead us to Fang and Ari. They need our help saving Iggy now."

Everyone gaped at the little girl, who walked up to one of the giant monsters that surrounded us, and said sweetly, "So, where's our ride?"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was sitting on the grass next to the little fire Ari had managed to make, chewing on the tough rabbit meat he'd roasted for the both of us. It tasted like rubber, and though I was grateful for something to eat at all, I couldn't help but wish Iggy were there to cook for us. He could've made even rabbit taste delicious.

I sighed, ripping off another chunk with my teeth, thinking about what could be happening to Iggy now. Images of memories flashed through my mind, vividly describing what he could be suffering at that very moment, while I was out here, free from my chains and prison cell. Just the thought of my brother still at the mercy of Dr. Gunther-Hagen made me furious. I wanted to beat that sadistic psycho to a bloody spot on the ground, but I settled for punching the tree next to me instead in an attempt to vent out my anger. Ari noticed this, and said, "Don't worry, I sent some buddies of mine to find your little feline friends… and, of course, your precious Flock. They should be coming with them soon."

"What?" I said, nearly dropping my charred hunk of bunny. What did he mean? The Flock was coming? For a moment, thoughts of Iggy left my mind, and was replaced by memories of The Flock, all of us together, flying and laughing, Max's smile… Max. Gosh, I hadn't seen her in so long, hadn't had time to think about her, about… us. I don't know if she felt it too, but I had always known there was a connection there that went farther than a brother/sister relationship. I'd always had feelings for her, ever since we were little kids at The School. I wanted to protect her, be with her always, and make her happy. The past few weeks had been the worst of my life, watching Iggy go through all that pain, but now Max was coming, I would get to see her, after what seemed like a lifetime. It was all going to be okay, now.

But what would I tell everyone? They would all want to know what had happened to Iggy. I knew I could trust Max with the knowledge of all Iggy's pain… the forced murder, the self-injury, the attempted suicide, the violation and abuse… but I'm sure that Iggy wouldn't want the little kids, or any of The Pack to know, for that matter. But they would have to find out eventually, so I guess I should tell them when they arrived instead of having them figure it out when they saw Iggy in the lab… Just picturing it again made me feel sick to my stomach. _Please hurry_, I thought, begging for my Flock and The Pack to come quickly. Iggy needed saving _now_.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Jeb sat quietly in the room Hans Gunther-Hagen had given him, trying to concentrate on the television screen in front of him. Anything to distract him from the issue at hand. Fang and Ari, two of his sons, had managed to escape from the lab. But how were Fang's burns? They seemed pretty serious when he'd seen them just before Ari had carried him away, and he knew that if they weren't treated correctly, they could become infected. He was feeling very anxious about those two, but as concerned as he was for them, most of his worrying was spent on Iggy, still inside the lab. Just the thought of what Gunther-Hagen could be doing to him now…

Jeb shivered, suddenly feeling the overwhelming urge to pace. He stood from his seat on the couch, walking back and forth across the small room, pressing his palms to his forehead as if to grind some sense into his brain. The sound of the evening news crew on TV droning on in German faded into the background, as he thought about his blind son. Just by seeing him hours ago, it became obvious to Jeb that he had suffered unimaginable pain, both physically, mentally, and most of all emotionally. He'd been reduced to a shattered mess, just barely clinging weakly to life and sanity. He'd already cracked severely, but what would finally make him break? All Jeb knew, was that he didn't want his son to find out the hard way.

So, it was decided. He was going to get Iggy out himself. What other options did he have? Who knew how long it would take for Fang to recover, or for another opportunity for rescue to appear - he had to do it tonight, while everyone was asleep.

With that resolve in mind, he left his room and made his way down the long halls, trying to remember the route to the underground cells. Without Ari as a guide, it took what seemed like hours, but he eventually came across the elevator that would take him down to the basement floor of the lab. Feeling anxious and exited to finally give all his sons freedom, he took the agonizingly slow ride down to the hallway of metal doors, and pulled open the one marked with a large number four.

The smell hit him first. The room stank of evil and sin, and he knew by the sounds coming from inside what was taking place before his eyes even adjusted to the darkness of the cell. His heart seemed to thud to a stop, and he could feel the seeping dread and nausea overwhelm him as he took in the awful sight. There was Iggy, lying on his back with his wings opened around him, legs spread apart for the monster that loomed over him, casting a shadow across his tear-streaked face. Gunther-Hagen grinned cruelly down at his prey as he breathed heavily, earning a few more tears from Iggy as he continued the action of hurting him. Iggy laid in silence, taking the abuse with a lifeless expression in his eyes, just an empty shell that once held so much light and humor, drowning in his tears.

Jeb wanted to leave the moment he saw the sickening scene, he wanted to turn and run, but Hans noticed him almost immediately. Pausing his cruel torture, he turned to look at Jeb in surprise. "Jeb," he said in a breathless voice, and all he could manage to do was stare at the other scientist in horror. This was the man that constantly abused and tormented his son. He wanted to beat him to a pulp, he wanted to strangle him, but most of all he wanted to get Iggy away from him. But, if he was going to keep his cover, that just wasn't going to happen tonight.

"Hans," he finally croaked back, and was repulsed when the doctor grinned at him in response.

"Please excuse me, Jeb – I was just enjoying playing with my little pet here," he said. "Feel free to join me if you like. I find it's only common courtesy to share my toys."

Jeb's eyes widened at the idea, and he felt like he could be sick. Instead of shouting in fury at the doctor for suggesting it, he simply mumbled, "No thank you."

Hans shrugged and said, "Suit yourself. Now, if you don't mind, Igneous and I have much more fun to have tonight."

Iggy finally turned his head to face the man that had intruded his personal torture. "Jeb?" His voice was so weak, like it was a strain just to make the tiniest sound. Jeb saw in his son's eyes a flicker hope, as if praying the traitor had come back after those long two years to save him from the nightmare he was trapped in. Jeb felt the burning guilt seep in like poison, as he accepted the fact that rescue tonight would be impossible.

"You know Jeb, my pet?" Gunther-Hagen said, and Iggy flinched at his tormentor's voice. Turning to Jeb, he asked curiously, "Have you ever come across my avian hybrids during your work as a spy in Itex?"

Jeb found it best to deny all ties to The Flock, so he answered solemnly, "No. I have never seen them before in my life."

The faint spark of light in Iggy's eyes faded as all hope came crashing down, and he said in a pleading voice, "Please, Jeb."

He could feel his heart breaking, but he answered coldly, "I have never seen you before in my life, you useless freak."

More tears began to gather in Iggy's eyes, but he turned away, not allowing himself to become even more vulnerable for Jeb to see. He knew he had shattered his son's last desperate hope, but hopefully he could hold out for just another day, while he made up a plan that was sure to work this time.

"Well, Jeb," Gunther-Hagen said, his patience wearing thin. Jeb knew that was his cue to give them some privacy, and, feeling like he was leaving his own life behind in that cell, he closed the door and stepped into the elevator to go back to his room.

As he took the agonizingly slow ride back up to the ground floor, Jeb cried for his suffering sons.

**Okay, for reasons I can't quite place, I feel unsatisfied with that chapter, but I was desperate to get it posted finally. So, Jeb is obviously feeling heartbroken for our suffering bird boys, but thankfully The Flock and Pack are on their way! Yay! Mutants to the rescue!**

**I don't care how crappy that chapter was, just please review!**


	34. Losing Grip

**Here's chapter 34! Sorry it took so long (it's really sad that I say this every chappie now), but I've been extremely busy with school, church activities, and painting all the furniture in my room (black, by the way; it's gorgeous!). But, flYegurl was begging, and since I luvles her I crammed this in. So, a Max POV will be first (again), then Fang (again), and then Iggy. Enjoy.**

_~ Chapter 34 – Losing Grip ~_

Okay, I was still new to this life, but I'm pretty sure talking wolf mutants weren't supposed to be considered 'normal'. Right now I was seated in a helicopter with the rest of my 'Flock' (we didn't quite have the whole flying thing down yet), piloted by one of the furry monsters themselves. The entire 'Pack' wouldn't fit in the other helicopter, so Aaron had volunteered to ride with us. I think he was still upset about the family mutiny, and he seemed to feel like I needed protection if the 'Eraser' up front decided to turn and eat us, or something. I definitely wasn't complaining – I was by no means used to the giant mutants. And, I really didn't mind his company, either.

The ride was long and silent, except for my little brother and sisters chatting with each other. Despite their memories being lost as well, they seemed to be getting along fine – they did have a few more weeks than I did to get settled. Aaron sat near the front, not taking his eyes off mister scary in the pilot's seat, who's fur seemed to be bristling in annoyance at the other mutant's glare. I just sat quietly next to him, afraid to speak with the monster so close, and Aaron had a hand placed comfortingly on my shoulder. It was… Sort of nice.

As the sky grew pitch black, I dozed off with my head resting on Aaron's shoulder, and had a wonderful, dreamless sleep. I didn't even remember the monster just feet away until I opened my eyes to sunlight streaming through the windows, and Aaron shaking me awake with an anxious expression on his face. "Wha – " I mumbled groggily, as he pulled me to my feet, and I was only subconsciously aware that he was pushing me over to the helicopter's wide open door.

"Max, wake up!" He said in an alarmed voice, and I forced my eyes all the way open and my foggy brain into attention.

"What's up?" I asked, looking around me and noticing that a very crucial thing was missing.

The pilot.

"The other Erasers found out that Ari doesn't have any money for them, and they contacted the pilot to tell him to ditch the copter. We have to jump, or we'll crash!" Aaron was rushing the rest of The Flock and I to the door, and I whipped out my wings as he began scouring the helicopter frantically for a parachute. Outside the open doorway, I saw a deep blue ocean below - and it was rapidly coming up to meet us.

"Aaron!" I warned anxiously, and he gave up on his search and gripped my hand tightly in his.

"Jump." I gaped at him, and I knew he meant for me to fly _with_ him.

"Are you crazy?" I practically screamed; the looming wall of water was coming closer and closer, almost here now.

"Max, you can do this!" He shouted back. "Just jump!"

I could feel the frigid sea spray on my face and made a split-decision without even thinking. I ushered all the frightened Flock members out first, watching them spread their wings and swoop out of reach of the ravaging waves, before wrapping my arms tightly around Aaron and leaping after them. There was one terrifying moment that seemed to last a lifetime, as I dropped without anything to catch me, but I forced my wings out of the newly-cut holes in the jacket Aaron had given me, and a flood of relief washed over me as I made them sweep down hard to lift both Aaron and I above the stormy-gray ocean. Chancing a glance back, I saw as the helicopter's hull crashed into the waves, and the water soon swallowed the craft completely, dragging it down out of sight.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I clutched more tightly to Aaron and made my way through the air with my surprisingly heavy burden, who was clinging to me for dear life, his sharp brown eyes wide with fear. Maybe I would've laughed, but I wasn't too confident about flying myself yet.

"Max!" The others were watching my progress with worried expressions, and it encouraged me to see that they at least seemed to have gotten the hang of using their wings by now. They dove over to where Aaron and I were struggling, and we distributed his weight between us, with me holding him under his arms and Gazzy and Nudge each taking one of his legs. Aaron had his eyes squeezed shut, and I could've sworn I saw his lips moving as if he were muttering a prayer of some sort. For someone without wings, it had to be a pretty terrifying experience.

"The island we were heading towards is just a little farther east," little Angel said, pointing in the direction the helicopter had been facing before it went down; now that she mentioned it, I could just make out a little bump jutting out of the blue horizon. I nodded, taking charge, and we began flying towards the spot, Aaron dangling between us.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was pacing back and forth across the small clearing we had settled in, my hands clenching and un-clenching the way they always did when I was nervous, my mind buzzing with thoughts of The Flock, our friends The Pack, and of course Iggy. Ari was still gone, meeting with the other Erasers, who hopefully had my friends and family with them. It had been over an hour since he left to go down to the beach alone, barely a mile away, and I was beginning to worry. Was everything okay? Did something happen to Ari, The Pack, my family? The anxiety was suffocating.

Finally, when I didn't think I could take the waiting game anymore, Ari appeared through the trees, and trailing behind him, were nearly all the members of The Pack, excluding just Aaron. I felt a smile spread across my face at the sight of my friends, but my expression fell again when I saw the worried glint in their eyes. "What happened?" I said, and Ari shook his head angrily.

"They bailed out on us," he barked. "Told the guy flying the other chopper to ditch it in the air with the entire rest Flock inside, as well as mister goldie locks from this lot."

"_What?" _I hissed, turning to the remaining members of The Pack, searching their sad, anxious faces for answers.

"Listen, we know just about as much as you do," Arabel said, her mouth turned down into a frown that was in drastic contrast to her usual smirk. "All we can do at this point is wait and hope that the rest show up."

I sighed. Well, I was almost positive the rest of The Flock escaped safely, but what about Aaron, who didn't have wings? Was he okay? So many questions were running through my head that I was dying to ask, but before I could say a word, Amber piped up in her quiet voice.

"Where's Iggy?"

Oh, jeez. This was the question I was dreading. I looked at Ari pleadingly, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. Great. I guess it was all up to me to bear the bad news. My mouth suddenly felt very dry, and I swallowed to stall some time. "Uh…"

The Pack was looking at me expectantly, and I sighed again. "You should probably come sit down," I said, gesturing towards the ground and plopping down on the grass. They came farther into the clearing and settled on the ground across from me, and Ari stood off to the side, watching us warily.

"What happened?" Amber asked, fresh worry written all over her face. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"I guess I should start at the beginning," I said, my mouth set at a grim line. I then proceeded to tell them everything that had happened from the time I left them in that clearing weeks ago, explaining how I found the Eraser and headed east, eventually reaching the island, sneaking into the lab, finding Iggy amongst all the screaming, insane children. I decided to leave out the part when Iggy showed me his mutilated wrists, and told them about the scientists coming back, locking us in that miserable concrete cell.

Then came the hardest part. I hesitated, knowing that Iggy would be mortified if they knew, but they would have to find out sooner or later. "Well?" Axel said impatiently. "What happened?"

Ari sighed and stepped forward, saying in obvious discomfort, "Uh… I need to find some more food for everybody, maybe the little runts would like to come with me." I let out a breath of relief, and though the kids protested, the two youngest members of The Pack allowed themselves to be led from the clearing by Ari to 'find food'.

That left me alone with the four remaining oldest, who waited for me to continue with anxious expressions. "Well?" Amber said quietly, and I bit my lip.

"Iggy was… Gunther-Hagen came in one night…" I sighed and fixed my gaze on the ground. Deciding it was best to just be blunt and get it over with, I said, "Dr. Gunther-Hagen raped Iggy. Multiple times. I… I saw everything."

Blank shock was the only expression evident in the faces of The Pack for some time, and Amber was the first to recover, her features twisting with regret and sorrow. "No… it's worse than I thought…" Arabel wrapped a comforting arm around her, and to my surprise, tears began running down Amber's pale, freckled cheeks. She drew her knees close to her and buried her face in her faded jeans, and her shoulders shook with quiet sobs.

I looked at the others in alarm, wondering why she was affected so strongly by the news, but Arabel just met my gaze and said, "She really cares about him, you know." I was still confused for a moment, but then it all clicked in my brain – I remembered now, seeing her and Iggy laughing together, her hand brushing against his as she stood, and I realized it must not have been an accident. Oh. I felt pretty stupid, for not seeing it earlier; she obviously liked Iggy a lot. Feeling bad, I placed a tentative hand on Amber's shoulder, unsure of what to say. I guess now would be a bad time to mention the attempted suicide incident that occurred just after Gunther-Hagen left…

Eventually, Amber lifted her head with a sniffle, wiping her eyes and nose with her long sleeve. "Sorry," she muttered, looking at me apologetically. "Please continue."

Careful not to upset her again, I went on to tell them about Ari befriending us, explained how the traitor Jeb came in with Gunther-Hagen and took us to that big white room (once again editing where the corpses came in), and Gunther-Hagen's request. All four pairs of eyes widened in horror, and I told them my decision to choose the hard death for myself, Ari's refusal and resignation, Gunther-Hagen taking action anyway, the fire licking at my side… I then lifted the leather jacket Ari had given me to wear (the very same one that he so often let Iggy borrow), and showed them the burns, nearly healed by now. Axel whistled softly.

"Jeez, dude," he said. "That's going to leave a heck of a scar."

Amber's eyes were pointed to the ground again. "So… Iggy? He's…"

"Still there," I finished for her, my fists clenching in anger and a dark expression passing over my eyes. "After everything he's been through, he's still there." Arabel sent me a sympathetic look, and for a while, everyone was silent. It seemed like hours had passed before Amber finally spoke again.

"We have to get him back. Now."

"Yeah," Axel agreed, and Aro nodded.

Arabel stood and said, "Well, are we going to wait for the mutt to show up? I say we don't waste another minute that those sadistic scientists or Gunther-Psycho can use to hurt Iggy. Well kick all their sorry butts and send them running for the ocean! Who's with me?"

"You know I'm in," Axel said, grinning, and Aro stood with him silently, a fierce glint in his dark eyes. "Amber? What say you?"

Amber smiled up at them gratefully. "I say heck yeah." Arabel smirked, and offered her a hand to help her up.

Everyone was looking at me, and I stood also, my fists clenching with anticipation. We were finally, _finally_ going to break my brother free of that place, and Gunther-Hagen's cruel control over him would no longer be able to hurt him. I was going to beat that psychotic scientist senseless, and toss him into the ocean. I couldn't wait to sink my fist into that stupid smirk he always wore…

"Fang?" They were all watching me expectantly, and I grinned darkly.

"Let's do this," I said, spreading my wings. "It's time Gunther-Hagen paid for all the crap he's given us."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I lay shivering on the cold floor. I don't know how long ago Gunther-Hagen had left me there, and I didn't care to. All I knew was that I wanted it to be over. But the truth was starting to sink in – I would never be free of this place. If The Flock wanted to save me, they would have at least tried by now. Fang was dead. I was sure that Gunther-Hagen wanted me alive, if only so he could continue to 'play' with me, and there was no way he'd ever just give me what I wanted most.

And Jeb… I didn't know what to think of him. He was once like a father to me, and then he betrayed us, but when he came in last night… something in me had been clinging to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he would turn back around and be that whitecoat who had pity on a few mutants years ago. But no. He was still the same, uncaring traitor we found out he'd been all along. He'd left me there, bleeding and crying on the floor, with that man that I hated so much, and was more scared of than any other living thing on earth. He betrayed me again. And now I was going to stay here forever.

Forever.

Forever.

The word rang in my head. I was going to stay here till I died, which wouldn't happen nearly soon enough, and I would rot in this cell, chained to the wall. Away from the sun and sky, underground where my wings were useless. Completely and utterly alone.

Because Fang was dead. He was dead, and he wasn't coming back. It was my fault. More than anything, even more than I longed for freedom, I wanted Fang's presence nearby; I know that it was the one thing that kept me sane for the past few weeks. Now… I could already feel my mind slowly cracking.

Fang. I wanted my best friend here more than anyone, to tell me that it would be okay, to tell a joke in an attempt to cheer me up, to just _be_ there close by so that I at least wasn't alone. But every time I thought of him, and how much I missed his company, the same words seemed to whisper inside my head, reminding me of the harsh truth.

_Fang's dead. It's my fault._

Suddenly, I could hear something nearby - inside the cell. It was a quiet noise, and I strained my ears to concentrate on the sound.

It was a voice. One that I recognized well. It was talking plainly, it was easy to understand – but what I couldn't understand was how I could possibly be hearing _that_ voice anymore.

_Iggy. It's me. I'm here; it's all going to be okay…_

No. No, no, this wasn't possible. I couldn't be hearing this, it was a trick, it had to be…

The voice belonged to Fang. It kept talking to me, gradually getting louder and louder, and as it spoke, I heard someone shifting on the floor, the rattle of chains…

"No," I said aloud, starting to get scared. "Y-you're not real. You're dead. You can't be real…"

_Iggy, you need to calm down… it's just me. It's okay, Ari will be here with some pills soon, you'll feel better…_

"No!" I screamed, terrified at the thought that it was just my mind making me hear these things. Fang was _dead_, and Ari gone with him, this couldn't be real, it couldn't be… "You're _dead!"_ I shouted, just trying to convince myself that this wasn't possible.

And then the voice was silent. I was almost relieved, but then I could still hear harsh, shallow breathing throughout the room.

"Please…" I begged shakily. "Just leave me alone. You're not real."

And then it was talking again.

_Why, Iggy? I was your brother… why did you kill me? I burned alive because of you. Why did you kill me, Iggy?_

"I… I'm sorry," I said, on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

_Why did you kill me?_

The voice was shouting angrily now, and I flinched, shaking all over. It wasn't real, it couldn't be real… "I didn't mean to," I sobbed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

And then, all at once, noise erupted in my ears, like a roaring freight train and a stereo blasting into my head, making my brain seem like it was caving in under the force. It was an unearthly wailing scream, reaching into every corner of my brain, and I instinctively clamped both hands over my ears, digging my fingernails into my head till I felt blood trickle down, but I could barely notice with the voice screaming in my brain just as loudly. I could feel chains snaking around me, squeezing and suffocating, and I could barely breathe…

And then, suddenly, everything was gone. The scream cut off just as it got to it's loudest point, and the presence of chains being wrapped around me vanished. Somewhere, a voice softly whispered, "_Die…"_

As the first terrified tear slipped down my face, I knew that I had finally lost my grip on reality. I was completely insane. No one could save me now.

**Okay, I don't know about you guys, but I was seriously creeped out writing that last POV. Listening to Evanescence as I type probably didn't help… hehe.**

**Anyway, lots of progress made in this chapter – which is good, because I've been told be a few people that the repeated Iggy torture was making them crazy, but we can finally move on! And no, don't worry folks, Iggy's poor, sick brain won't stay that way forever. I just thought, not even his bird kid endurance could pull him through all of that without mental damage. Right?**

**Please review! Tell me how I did with this chapter, I'm really curious to hear some feedback.**


	35. Finding

**Hello, dear readers. Well, my Mac was temporarily facing issues, and we had to go and get it fixed. Fortunately, though all the memory was lost –sighs-, the hard-drive seems to be okay for now. Let's just hope it doesn't get wiped out again while I'm writing this chappie…**

**So yeah, sorry that this was late (again – please forgive me, flYegurl!), but like I said, my computer was dead for a while, and I've also been trying to spend some more time with my family. Speaking of which, we went and saw Harry Potter 7 in Imax! It. Was. EPIC. Seriously folks, you've got to see it (my favorite parts were when George lost his ear, Ron got splinched, and Hermione was tortured by Belatrix! …yeah, I've got a pretty sick, violent idea of entertainment, but I guess you guys already knew that).**

**Anyway, first in this chappie will be a (surprise) POV, then Max, Iggy, and Amber. Enjoy.**

_~ Chapter 35 – Finding ~_

My eyes shot open as my first breath of oxygen filled my lungs, and I found myself surrounded by blinding light. My ears picked up every little sound, and as I looked around the room I was in, my eyes took in every detail in sharp clarity. Sterile white walls and shiny linoleum floors, gleaming metal tables with medical instruments arranged neatly on top, several monitors and machines standing beside the cold metal gurney I lay on. Where was I?

I slowly sat up, noticing the numerous wires and tubes attached to various parts of my body, and I ripped them off in annoyance. I then looked down and examined myself – I hadn't noticed before, but I was naked, and there were thin little needles imbedded throughout my pale skin, in the crook of my elbows and knees, the insides of my wrists. I quickly yanked them out, and hopped off the metal gurney, the linoleum floor cold under my bare feet.

Noticing a sudden movement to my right, I spun around, ready to attack, but was simply greeted by my own reflection in a spotless mirror attached to the wall. Feeling like a paranoid idiot, I studied the face looking back at me, taking in the clear blue eyes behind overgrown strawberry-blonde bangs. I was tall, very tall, thin too; but with a decent amount of muscle built proportionately along my torso, and limbs that were long and slightly wiry-looking. Noticing something soft resting against my back, I looked over my shoulder and was surprised to see two neatly folded _wings_ there. I stretched the muscles experimentally, and they spread out behind me; a sixteen-foot span that took up the entire room, the black tips just brushing the walls on either side. I ran long, slender fingers over the white feathers near the base of one, completely fascinated. Well, I guess the lab-like room I was in explained _those_; I wouldn't be surprised if some evil scientist walked in and asked to dissect my brain next.

Suddenly, as if to confirm my suspicions, the door behind me swung open and a gray-haired man dressed in a long white lab coat strode in toward me. "Ah, subject seven – congratulations, you are my first successful clone."

Uh, _clone? _So, what, this body wasn't even mine? And what was with the 'subject seven' thing? I was already starting to get annoyed by this guy. Unsure of what to say, I just stood there, glaring cautiously at the man.

"Let me explain," the man said, stepping closer. I suddenly remembered how exposed I was, and blushed, sidestepping behind the gurney. The man noticed this, and wordlessly took a white coat identical to his own from a nearby hook on the wall, handing it to me, which I accepted and quickly pulled around myself, folding the wings back up against me. Smirking amusedly, the man continued. "My name is Dr. Hans Gunther-Hagen, top researcher of Stem Cells in the world. You are the carbon copy of another experiment called Igneous, a blind human-avian hybrid. I created you to have it's wings and high intelligence, but also the added gift of sight and superior strength to that of it's own. Now that I have constructed a successful formula, I can produce an army of super-mutants. But, for now, there is a specific job I need you to complete…"

I stopped him right there, glaring. "Who do you think you are?" I demanded, feeling myself getting angrier by the second. "Just because you created me, doesn't give you the right to order me around. What's in it for me?"

Gunther-Hagen looked back at me with piercing dark eyes, and said coldly, "You don't die."

I swallowed nervously. Well, _that_ was certainly good motivation – this guy obviously wasn't messing around. I didn't like the idea of being his little servant, but it was clearly a preferred alternative to _dying_, so I asked, "In that case, what'd you have in mind?"

"I need you to locate some missing mutants," he said, "a wolf hybrid and another avian, like yourself. I want you to meet up with them and act like the original Igneous."

"How am I supposed to know what he's like?" I said, and the doctor's expression twisted into a cruel grin.

"Unfortunately, I can't let you see it," he said. "Due to some, ah, over-zealous fun I've been having, and a few other things, it's been driven insane."

I felt a pang of mixed fear and pity in my stomach, making me slightly nauseous. I didn't know the other freak, but I was apparently identical to him and owed him my existence, being his clone and all. The thought that he could have gone literally _insane_… it made me wonder just how psycho this scientist really was. "So, how do I act like him, then?" I urged.

"Oh, you already have much of Igneous' personality," he assured me. "After that, you just have to pretend to be blind. And, of course take into account recent events…"

"Uh, recent events?" I asked warily, unsure if I really even wanted to know. Gunther-Hagen's cruel grin grew the widest yet.

"Follow me. I can show you some footage that should clear things up…" Reluctantly, I trailed after Gunther-Hagen, who left the small room and led me down numerous long hallways, passing other lab-coat-clad scientists and strange-looking men with a hungry glint in their eyes and unusually long canines. I hung close to the doctor until we reached our destination – what appeared to be a large office, with a nice hardwood desk and several ornate but uncomfortable-looking chairs. On the desk's surface, sat what appeared to be a TV monitor.

I looked at Gunther-Hagen uncertainly, and, grinning, he reached over the desk and flipped the switch to turn the little TV on. I made my way over to the large desk chair, and sat down, watching the screen as it flickered to life, and the picture swam into focus. As I watched, my jaw dropped gradually more and more until it was left hanging open in shock.

The film was taken from an unsteady handheld video camera, the sound of canine-like barks of laughter and piercing howls echoing through the speakers, as well as faint, choked gasps of pain. As the camera pointed down, my eyes fell on the source of the shuddering noise, and my stomach jolted with horror. He was covered in blood, pale skin inked with bruises of all colors, long limbs twisted at grotesque angles and glistening with sweat. There was an unbelievable amount of blood on his back, soaking through the shirt and jacket completely and rapidly gathering in a puddle around his trembling figure. The scarlet pool was staining the pure white feathers of two large, severed wings lying spread-eagle beside him, and his shaky, bloodstained fingers groped for the missing pieces of himself.

He looked just like me.

As if that wasn't disturbing enough, the scene quickly moved on to one of a quiet forest, filmed from what appeared to be the same camera, from behind a tree. There was that same boy, the other me - knelt in the dirt, face in his hands. His shoulders shook with unrestrained sobs. He pulled something from the pocket of his jeans, and I saw a glint of shiny metal in his hand. As I watched, blood ran freely down his wrist, dripping to the earthy ground.

The next scene showed a large white room, in black-and-white security footage. There were a bunch of little mutant kids, some with scales and fur and four arms, all lined up in a neat row before the original-me, who looked over them with a horrified expression, shaking all over. At first, I was confused – sure, they were kind of gross looking, but was he really scared of these kids? Then he slowly took a step forward, toward the first mutant. With trembling hands, he grasped it's throat.

I heard a loud _snap_.

The kid, still with a confused glaze in it's eyes, fell to the ground. Dead.

My twin dropped to his knees, an unfathomable expression echoing in his eyes. I found myself staring into them, identical to my own, full of unimaginable guilt and pain. I couldn't believe that a person could be made to do this – it was sick, and it was wrong. But all I could do was watch, as he shakily pulled himself back to his feet, and numbly repeated the action of breaking each and every mutant child's neck. I didn't know where he had found the strength to do it again and again, but each time, I could almost sense him breaking into smaller and smaller, shattered pieces.

He was left alone with the corpses, and yet again, the picture changed – still black-and-white, but a different, darker room. He wasn't alone – there was another guy with him, with jet-black hair and ebony wings on his back. They were both chained to a different wall. The one that looked like me appeared to be asleep, the other one watching him with a soft expression in his eyes.

They weren't left in peace for long. The door opened, and Gunther-Hagen himself strode through, a scary look on his face.

"Wake up." My twin looked up at Gunther-Hagen groggily after being kicked awake. The second he recognized his voice, he scowled, demanding what the doctor was doing there.

He answered with a creepy grin, and other-me balled his fists in anger, saying, "Enough games. If you're here for me, get on with it, but if you want Fang, forget it. You aren't going to lay a hand on him unless you want my fist in your mouth."

I felt a little sense of respect for his fearlessness in confronting Gunther-Hagen, who simply responded with, "My, such bold words, Igneous. But why would I lay a hand on your brother, when I can touch you?"

What happened next, would stay ingrained in my mind forever. By the end of it, I could feel myself shaking, my stomach churning with horror and disgust. Honestly, I was terrified. Because that man, that foul, sick man was standing right beside me, watching the screen over my shoulder, smirking. Almost like he was _proud_. I don't know if it was anger, or fear, or even the feeling of nausea causing me to shiver, but I knew I wanted to be as far away from the doctor as possible. If he could do it to _him_, what was stopping Gunther-Hagen from using me, his carbon copy?

As if sensing this, Gunther-Hagen chuckled, a noise that sent chills up my spine. "Oh, don't worry," he said, sounding amused by my obvious terror. "I won't touch you. I need you for the mission."

"Which is what, exactly?" I asked shakily, though still slightly relieved.

"Distract them," he said simply. "Make them believe that you are the real Igneous, so that they don't come back for the original."

"You mean lie to them?" I said, feeling my anger flare. "Just so you can… _play_ with your little toy some more? He's already gone insane, how much farther will you go to get what you want?"

As soon as I said it, I almost regretted it, after getting the icy glare from Gunther-Hagen. "As far as I feel necessary," he said in a dangerous tone, and I instantly wished I could take a step back – unfortunately, I was trapped in the comfy desk chair. "Do you have any protests?"

"No sir," I said, swallowing to wet my suddenly dry throat. Reminded again of his promise to kill me if I didn't follow his orders, I stood cautiously from the chair, and cleared my throat anxiously. Feeling a pang of guilt, I said, "So, where are these guys that I'm supposed to fool?"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"If we're ever again in an abandoned plane plummeting towards the ocean, and we're faced with the option to jump, remind me to just fall into the water and _swim_ to shore."

I laughed, as Aaron sat on the sand, hugging his knees with the desperation of a drowning man clinging to a raft, still shaking slightly after the long, improvised flight to land. I felt a little sorry for him, but for the most part it was just hilarious.

"I thought cats couldn't stand water," I said mockingly, grinning, and Aaron rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"Ha ha. Well, if you're so smart, why don't you fly up and try to spot the lab that Iggy and Fang are at. It'll be easier to find if we know where we're going."

I nodded, flapping my wings down hard for the takeoff, soaring high above the forest beyond the beach and searching for any sign that indicated a big, evil corporation existing here. It didn't take long for me to find – a square of white was visible nestled in the trees, which I knew could only be the roof of the lab. "I see it!" I called down to the rest sprawled on the sand. "It's right in the middle, about a mile in!" I saw Aaron nod.

"Well, let's start moving, then," he said, standing up and brushing the sand off himself. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we finally put an end to all this."

I swooped down and landed next to him, catching his eye. He gave me a warm look, and the soft smirk he wore made my stomach go all fluttery. Forcing myself to focus on my brothers and the mission at hand, I followed Aaron through the dense forest, the kids trailing along behind, talking quietly to each other.

We made our way through the trees for what seemed like hours. Eventually, we stumbled onto what appeared to be a clearing.

It was the beach again.

"You've got to be kidding," Aaron groaned, and my shoulders slumped with disappointment. I really thought we were heading in the right direction, but apparently we had just been walking in circles the entire time.

"We're never going to find them," I said dejectedly.

"Find who?"

Everyone spun around to face the source of the voice, and I saw a pale figure appear through the trees. He was tall and thin, with strawberry-blonde hair that hung in his eyes, which were a stunning, bright blue. His gaze was unfocused, staring off into the ocean behind us.

"Oh my gosh," Aaron breathed beside me, gaping at the other boy. _"Iggy?"_

My heart jolted with excitement, and I leaned closer to Aaron and hissed, "Is it really him? As in, my brother Iggy?"

Aaron shook his head in disbelief. "I… I don't know."

The boy, supposedly named Iggy, took a few steps forward cautiously, as if unsure about us too. "Uh… are you… Max?"

I nodded. Then, remembering what Aaron had told me about my brother Iggy being blind, I said "Yeah."

We all stood there awkwardly for a few moments, the boy with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, staring off at a point just above my head. I couldn't stand the suspense, and I walked over to him, placing a hand on his arm. He flinched slightly.

"Are you Iggy?" I asked softly, and he seemed to be intent on avoiding my gaze.

"Of course," he answered quietly. "Don't you remember me?"

"Well, no," I said with a shaky laugh. "Actually, my memories were erased." I paused, taking it all in. Here he was, my brother – we'd finally found him. I could hardly believe it, but inside I was bubbling with happiness. "I'm so glad you're okay," I continued with a smile. "How did you escape?"

"It's a long story," he said with a grin. I could sense that he was hiding something, but I was too ecstatic that he was back to dwell on it too much – he was probably just shaken after spending weeks in captivity.

"Well, we're glad you made it out," Aaron said, who finally seemed to have accepted him as the real deal, stepping forward and smiling at Iggy. "We have a lot to catch up on. By the way… do you know where Fang is?" Iggy seemed surprised by this.

"You mean… he's not with you?" He asked anxiously, and Aaron and I looked at each other with a frown.

"No…"

Iggy seemed downright distressed, beginning to pace along the sand, muttering so I could just barely make out the words, "No, he said he'd be here, he was supposed to be here…"

"Iggy, what are you talking about?" I asked, starting to get worried.

"Nothing," Iggy assured me, and he stopped pacing with a sigh. "It's just… I haven't seen him. I was hoping he would be with you guys."

Aaron placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. "It's alright Iggy, we'll find him."

Iggy simply nodded, sitting down on the sand, a hopeless expression in his eyes. "That guy better show up soon," he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" I said, looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Err… I've just really missed him," he said, hugging his knees tightly to his chest, looking anxious as if his life depended on Fang returning.

_They must really be close_, I thought.

"Max," Aaron said, looking up at the sky. "It's starting to get dark. We should camp out here, and tomorrow we'll look for Fang."

I nodded in agreement, settling down on the sand close to Aaron, who took watch. Iggy lay farther down the beach, separated from everyone else. He still looked agitated, a distraught expression in his eyes that remained open, staring up at the sky as stars began to peek through faintly.

I sighed softly. We would have to find Fang soon; it was obvious that Iggy missed him a lot.

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Fang had been quiet for some time now. But I knew he would be back. He always came back. It was the same constant cycle – for a few minutes, he would talk as if nothing was wrong. And then he would be angry. He would demand to know why I had killed him. I told him I didn't know, I never meant to, I didn't know… he would yell at me, sometimes I could feel him hit me, and I just told him I was sorry, so sorry… other times he would scream, just like he must have when the fire consumed him. I would cover my ears, but it made no difference. I couldn't escape the sound of his pain. The pain that _I_ caused.

But for now, all was quiet. I was alone. I didn't know if I preferred the suffocating silence, and sometimes I called out half-heartedly for Fang to return. But he would never listen, never, he would only appear when I wasn't expecting him; when I dreaded his return. It was all like a bad dream, one where I couldn't wake up.

Maybe it really was just a nightmare. Maybe, when I finally woke up, everything would be okay; I would be back in the woods, somewhere in Illinois. The Flock would all be there, laughing, normal. The Flock… I missed them all so much.

But I would never see them again. They were gone, they weren't coming for me. I was left here alone, with the silence, with Fang's voice haunting me…

_Iggy_.

No, not again…

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"Alright guys, this is it."

We were all crouched in a huddle, surrounded by dense forest. Just beyond the trees, were the looming white walls of Gunther-Hagen's lab.

"Do you all know your positions?" Fang whispered, and everyone nodded. We were all tense, all anxious. It was very possible that this could go badly, and someone could be hurt, or worse. But, after hearing the infuriating news of what Gunther-Hagen had done to Iggy, everyone was filled with a new resolve to rescue him - and to kill the doctor that had tormented him for so long. "Okay," Fang said quietly. "We meet up at the West entrance."

With that, he spread his wings and took off silently, melting into the night air as he flew discreetly to the roof – he would take out the guards there, clearing the way for us to disable the others on the ground. We all waited anxiously, until we saw the faint light of Fang's flashlight near the top of the building, blinking slowly on and off. That was the signal.

The four of us crept quietly from the cover of the forest, kneeling at the base of the chain link fence, and Axel worked quickly at prying open a space under it big enough for us to crawl through. Once we were on the other side, we kept to the shadows, waiting for the first round of guards to pass by. There were three groups in all, circling the building – together, it would be no problem taking the first guards out, as long as we did it quick enough to get inside before the next group arrived.

It wasn't long before the first Erasers were visible. We waited until we saw one catch our scent and begin sniffing suspiciously at the air, before springing on them without warning, beating them into unconsciousness easily, fueled by the picture of our friend still inside with Gunther-Hagen. We dragged the unconscious bodies into the shadows, and Fang met us at the door, holding it open for us to slip inside.

So far, so good. We all held onto Arabel, who turned herself invisible, making all of us melt into our surroundings as well. We crept down the halls, stopping and holding our breath when scientists came close, eventually coming to some shiny elevator doors. "Is this it?" Arabel whispered.

"Yeah," Fang answered softly, and we took the elevator down to the long hallway of cell doors. My heart was pounding in my chest, knowing that Iggy was just on the other side of one of these doors, and we were going to rescue him, and bring him home safe. He could be happy again. I wanted nothing more than that, to just make poor Iggy happy. I hadn't lied when I said I loved him. We could be together now…

"Amber, Arabel, I want you two to keep guard outside," Fang said, and my high spirits were dampened just a little.

"Why can't we see him?" Arabel asked incredulously, and I knew she was standing up more for me than herself, having known about the 'thing' I apparently had for Iggy long before even I did.

"Well, knowing Gunther-Hagen, I doubt he's been given any clothes since I left," he replied, and I felt my cheeks flush with color. Oh.

Arabel and I hung back by the elevator, and Fang led the others to Iggy's cell. Without hesitation, he pulled open the door and led the boys inside, leaving us waiting anxiously in the hall. I heard my brothers gasp, and my heart sank. What had this Gunther-Hagen creep _done_ to Iggy?

**Sorry for the cliffy guys, but (if my computer doesn't crash again, which the Apple store said it might do) the next chapter should be out much sooner than this one was. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for my poor little Mac!**

**So, does everyone like Iggy II? I wanted to make him kinda likable, 'cause he's going to be in the story a lot from now on. By the way, does anyone know of a good name for him? It's just, I don't think I want to call him 'Iggy II' the whole time, he needs some sort of name. I guess I could always do 'Jeff', or 'James', but… yeah. Give me a suggestion.**

**Review, please! It helps me update faster (hint hint). :D**


	36. Not Sane

**New chapter, yay! Iggy shall be rescued! **_**Or will he?... **_**Hehe, I love messing with you guys. ;)**

**First up shall be some Iggy II, Ari, and then Fang. By the way, I'm thinking about calling Iggy's clone 'Icarus' (I tried Latin, flYegurl, but all the words I looked up made for crap names), after the character in 'The Lake House', also by James Patterson. I haven't read it, but I found it online, and from what I read of the summary and character descriptions, Maximum Ride is literally a copy of it (MR is like the kid version, 'cause in the Lake House series, 'Max' and 'Fang', err… have some **_**fun**_** in the woods –gag-). So yeah, Icarus is this blind kid with wings, same age as 'Max' and 'Fang' (I forgot their names). You should check it out on Wikipedia, it's scary how similar they are. **

**On a totally unrelated subject, as of now I have reached the 200 review point! Yay for you guys for getting me there, I'm super grateful. _**

_~ Chapter 36 – Not Sane ~_

That night, I barely slept at all – I was too worried, too scared. I had literally been born (if that's what you would call it) the day before; I didn't want to die yet! Even if it wasn't really _my_ life to live… I was just some poor, abused guy's clone, a twin. There was nothing individual about being someone's perfect copy. I would never be my own person, especially to these people. Heck, I didn't even have my own _name_. It was a very lonely existence, living someone else's life.

I almost wished I could tell them, that the guy they were looking for was still inside. I felt sorry for him, after seeing those horrible clips… no wonder he'd gone insane.

The sun was starting to rise now, and I sat on the beach with my chin resting on my knees, gazing in silent awe at the burning skyline, the smoldering sun splashing the sky with vibrant color, fiery oranges and yellows and hints of red. It seemed to set the ocean ablaze, like a sea of flickering flame as it mirrored the brightening sky above it. I had never seen anything so beautiful; I just wanted to reach out and…

I grinned. Well, now would be the perfect time to test out my _wings_ then, wouldn't it? I stood and shrugged off the shirt Gunther-Hagen had given me before I left, freeing the wings and unfurling them slowly, reveling in the feeling of the sun's gentle warmth grazing the feathers. This was it – attempt at flying, take one. Drawing in a deep breath, I took a running start toward the waves, flapping the wings down as hard as I could.

The next thing I knew, I was in the air. I let out a triumphant laugh, swooping up and back in a loop, diving down to the ocean below. My heart raced as I plummeted toward the waves, but I followed instinct, and pulled up just as I was about to crash, leveling out and skimming a hand along the water. This was _amazing_. Salty breeze ran through my hair and feathers, and I was grinning like a maniac, riding the currents and taking in the breathtaking sunrise all around me. Acting on impulse, I suddenly made myself shoot upwards again, rocketing for the raging sky. I let out a whoop, which was instantly lost in the racing wind, and I rolled and dived and swooped around in the sky, totally carefree and loving every exhilarating moment.

Then reality had to come crashing back down, as Max, miss memory-loss, pulled up in the air next to me. Her golden hair whipped around her face, which displayed confusion and uncertainty as she shouted over the roar of the wind, "Aaron wants to see you!"

Great – this couldn't be good. So much for keeping under the radar. With dread seeming to weigh down what had felt weightless moments before, I followed Max back down to the beach, landing less-than-gracefully on the sand, where the blonde guy from before stood, staring at my wings in shock. "How… how is that possible?" He said, stepping forward and grabbing one of the wings, examining it closely. "I _saw_ them on the floor of that cave, and your back…"

My eyes widened in horror. Oh _crap_ – I remembered now, that first clip of Iggy, his wings had been sawed right off. Quick! What do I do? My mind was totally blank. My brain was scrambling for a response, going into full-on panic mode now. "Uh… well, see, what happened was…" Everyone was looking at me expectantly, and I cursed Gunther-Hagen internally, for not warning me about the wings.

"Iggy?" Aaron said, his eyes narrowing. "The last time I saw you, you had no wings. Now you're flying around like it's nothing. Care to explain?"

I felt my eyes start to prickle, and tears began to swarm my vision as I stared down at my feet, fear gripping my heart as I imagined Dr. Gunther-Hagen sending his wolf-mutants after me when I failed. They would rip me to pieces…

"Iggy." Aaron said sharply, bringing me back to the present. "Look at me." Reluctantly, I raised my head and my tear-filled eyes met his. Silently, he brought his hand up and waved it in front of my face. I blinked.

Aaron snarled in anger, whipping his hand out and grasping my throat tightly. Turning to Max, he said, "He's a fake!" Keeping my neck in a vice-grip, he growled, "Where is he? Where's Iggy?" I was struggling to breathe, clawing at his hands in a desperate attempt to free my airways, but he only squeezed tighter. "Well?" He shouted. "Answer me!"

My vision swam with bright flashes and black spots as I felt myself get dangerously lightheaded, my hands tearing weakly at his grip falling to my sides, and my eyes fluttered and rolled back in my head as I started to lose consciousness…

"Aaron, stop!" A voice reached my ears as if through deep water, and I felt the guy's grip loosen slightly. "It's not his fault, he doesn't know anything!"

The world swam back into focus as I was released, and I collapsed onto the sand, clutching my throat and gasping for air. Looking up at everyone, I let my gaze flicker nervously between Aaron's glare and the little girl that had apparently spoken up for me, who knelt down in front of me and smiled reassuringly. "It's okay," she said sweetly, "I know that you were forced to lie." Aaron's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about, Angel?" He asked, his accusing gaze boring into me.

"He's Iggy's clone," she explained. "Dr. Gunther-Hagen told him if he didn't pretend to be Iggy, he would kill him."

"Why?" Aaron asked, relaxing slightly, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. "Why does Gunther-Hagen want us fooled?"

Angel paused for a second, a look of deep concentration on her little face. After a few moments, she answered, "So we won't come back for the actual Iggy. He wants to keep him there for some reason."

Aaron cursed under his breath, and muttered, "Great. We have to go back there, _now." _Max nodded.

"It's time we finished this," she agreed, and I let my gaze fall to the sand. They were going to go get him now, and I would be forgotten; I was just a clone, after all, just a copy. I wasn't original, individual or solitary in any way – so why did I feel so alone?

I felt a warm, tiny hand on my arm, and I looked up again in surprise to see a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at me. "That's not true, you know," the little girl said, sending me a warm smile. "You look like Iggy I think, but that doesn't mean you're not your own person. You just need to have a little more confidence!" I gaped at her in shock, at a loss as to why she would take the time to reassure me like that, and how she knew what I was thinking. She just smiled sweetly, and I think I was just as surprised as anyone when she threw her arms around my neck, nuzzling her blonde curls into my chest. In a daze, I placed a hand on her back awkwardly, and hugged her tighter. It actually was comforting, in a sweet, adorable sort of way that just made me feel all warm, and… what's the word? Accepted? Wanted?

But the warm embrace was ended abruptly, as the little girl was pulled away by Max, who appeared startled and anxious, looking at me like she was scared I would have eaten Angel had I gotten the chance, or something. Aaron was still sending daggers at me, and the rest looked unsure. Feeling uncomfortable under all the eyes watching me, I stood up, brushing the sand off myself and going down the beach to retrieve my shirt, folding my wings back up as I slipped it over my head. Walking back to the others, Aaron said coldly, "Where do you think you're going?"

I felt my face heat up, and I looked down at my feet to avoid his icy gaze. "I was just… um… I thought that maybe…"

"That maybe you could hang out with us?" Aaron said mockingly, sneering. "You _lied_ to us, and if you think that we're going to let you just tag along like you're _one of us –"_

"Aaron, let him stay!" Angel interrupted. "It wasn't his fault." Aaron turned to her, concern written on his face now.

"But _Angel,_" he persuaded, "he's working for Gunther-Hagen, we can't trust him…"

"Aaron, just because you're worried about Iggy, doesn't mean you can take out your frustration on him," she said calmly. "Now, I can read minds, and I can tell you assuredly that he is nothing to worry about."

_Read minds?_ I thought incredulously. Well, that explained her knowing about my insecurities. Still, it was just a little creepy to think that even my thoughts weren't safe around her…

Aaron seemed to be considering what Angel had said, and after several long moments, he sighed, and turned to Max. "Do you want him to come along?" He asked her, and she looked uncomfortable, but after sending a nervous glance in my direction, she shrugged.

"I guess."

I felt a sort of giddy happiness at just being accepted into the group, and hoped that Max and Aaron would get more comfortable around me soon. Sending a grateful look to Angel, I joined the others tentatively, and Aaron sent me a warning look that said plainly_, The second you get on my nerves, you're out of here_. "Alright," Aaron said, addressing the rest. "What do you say we find Iggy and Fang now?"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"Where are they?"

"We've been walking for _hours."_

After a long night spent with the obnoxious kittens, Ari's patience was worn beyond thin.

"I'm sure they're close," he assured them, if only to shut them up, trudging on through the thick underbrush with the runts trailing behind.

"I'm hungry," said the girl quietly, but still in a whiney voice that grated on Ari's nerves. _Really_? He thought exasperatedly. _You've only said that, what_, _twenty times this morning._

Bounding forward to keep up with the long, tireless strides of the Eraser, the boy with the rugged baseball cap piped up, "C'mon, we haven't had a break in _forever_. I can't feel my legs!"

Ari rolled his eyes, not slowing his pace. "You'll live." The boy huffed indignantly.

"Not if we don't get something to eat soon," he insisted. "Seriously, Aurora's starving. We need food!"

"And rest!" Girly whiskers added.

Sighing in frustration, Ari decided it was better for the sake of the group (and his eardrums) to just give into their protests, and he leaned against the trunk of a tree, shrugging off his pack and retrieving two protein bars from the contents. "That's all I got," he informed the kittens, as he handed the food to them, watching them chow down hastily with relief. Maybe that would satisfy them, and they could travel in precious _silence_; that is, of course, until they made him stop again five minutes later.

Having finished the food and had their rest, the group trudged on again, hopefully heading in the direction of Fang and the others. Ari still couldn't believe Fang would just _leave_ like that – there was no sign of a struggle in the clearing when he'd shown up with the food he'd found, and so the only explanation was that he'd gone off and done something stupid with the other mutants, after relaying the tragedies of Gunther-Hagen's cruelty to Iggy. _That idiot_, thought Ari. _Why couldn't he just wait for me? _What if something happened to him? He couldn't even bear the thought.

That's why, when the sound of footsteps and voices reached his ears, he dashed through the trees and brush towards the noise, desperately hoping this was Fang and the rest, and not some Erasers passing through. When it became clear that Erasers were not the source of the disturbance in the forest, Ari felt like laughing for relief – and then he saw her.

Max.

He froze, staring at her. It was like a dam had just shattered, and all the pent-up emotions came rushing out, all at once. Hatred. Anger. Resentment. Grief. Pain. Love. _Max_…

The blonde cat-mutant had spotted him standing there, and he let out a snarl, leaping forward to attack. Ari snapped out of his daze, and growled in response, blocking the powerful kick and throwing the boy off-balance. Max was watching him, but there was no fierce glint in her eyes, not a trace of anger. Instead, she looked… frightened. Terrified. She just stood there, not making any move to join the fight. This confused Ari. What was her deal? She never passed up a chance to fight him, and she was never, _ever_ scared or intimidated by the Eraser.

He didn't have much time to dwell on this however, as the blonde mutant scrambled to his feet and threw a punch at Ari's face, narrowly missing and managing to land another blow on Ari's chest. The runt was stronger than he'd given him credit for, and Ari gasped in pain, before returning the punch to the other mutant's stomach, who doubled over, gulping oxygen to make up for his loss.

Ari took this opportunity and began to morph farther into wolf-form, his face rearranging itself into a snout, teeth and claws lengthening. Wincing, he bared his fangs and snarled at the boy, who recovered almost immediately and pulled his fist back for another strong punch.

But, before anyone could make another move, a voice said, "Stop." The smallest of the bird freaks was staring at them calmly, her blue eyes cold and demanding. Ari didn't know what made him do it, but both mutants lowered their fists.

"Angel, what are you _doing?"_ The blonde freak hissed, looking like he was struggling to move.

Calmly, she replied, "You need to stop fighting. We're all on the same side now."

"What do you mean, we're on the same side?" He said exasperatedly. "He's an Eraser!"

"Aaron," she said, "Trust me. He's friends with Iggy and Fang."

"Yeah, right. Whose side are you on?" Aaron shouted, now desperately trying to jerk away from the little girl's control on his mind.

"I'll prove it to you," Angel said, closing her eyes, wearing an expression of intense concentration.

The next moment, they were all pulled into the memories. They flashed in front of Ari's eyes, immersing him in his past.

_Ari sighed. He was worried about this; he knew that Iggy would have a very hard time trusting him, what with the whole cutting-his-wings-off-violently thing, not to mention the state he was in now, hurt and terrified. "Look fr – uh, Iggy, I'm not going to hurt you," Ari said in his best attempt at a reassuring voice, but Iggy didn't move._

_Sighing again, Ari turned, and addressed Fang instead. "Can you calm him down or something?"_

_"What do you think I've been trying to do?" the raven-haired mutant hissed, and he glanced worriedly past Ari at his trembling brother on the ground. "Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I guess that if you wanted to hurt him you would have already, so…" He looked back up at Ari, desperation and anxiety in his eyes. "Please help him. Please, I can't stand to see him in pain like this."_

_Ari's eyes widened in surprise at the acceptance, and he nodded slowly. Fang turned back to Iggy, talking in a soft, soothing voice. "Igs, listen to me, I know it's hard but you have to trust Ari. He's going to help you…"_

…_Ari chuckled softly, and he was surprised to catch himself not despising the bird freaks for once. Maybe he didn't hate them after all…_

…_He couldn't let this happen. Over the weeks of helping Iggy he had grown to be fond of the runty little freak, and his brother as well. He didn't know why he felt protective of them, having hated them for years, but something had changed. He couldn't let his psycho boss get away with this, not again…_

As they surfaced back to the present, Ari could see the look of shock on Aaron's face. Angel looked triumphant, and the rest just appeared confused… "Well?" Angel said. "Do you believe me now?"

Aaron turned to stare at Ari. "So… you're on our side now?" He asked. The Eraser nodded.

"Aaron!"

Behind Ari, the runts had finally caught up and were running toward their brother, who smiled with relief when he saw them. He hugged them both, and pulled away, asking, "Where are the others?"

"Gone."

Everyone turned to Ari, who explained simply, "They ran off with Fang to get Iggy."

"What?" Aaron said. "Fang was with you? And… Iggy's still in there?"

Before Ari could answer, something crashed through the branches and leaves above them this time, and everyone scattered out of the way as it toppled to the ground. It was clearly a person, and when it's head rose dazedly, Ari stared in shock at the familiar face.

It was Iggy.

But, it couldn't be! First of all, Iggy was thinner than this guy after weeks at the lab; his wings were grimier than that, his hair a little longer and dirty. No, this looked more like the Iggy Ari had known before he had known him, before they became friends – this had to be one of the clones Gunther-Hagen had talked about.

Growling, Ari stepped forward to take out the imposter, but once again Angel's mind-control held him back.

"Don't hurt him," she said, "he's with us."

"But, that's not the real Iggy!" Ari insisted, struggling against the invisible bonds as the fake-Iggy scrambled to his feet, looking at the Eraser in horror. To Ari's surprise, the clone's eyes filled with tears.

"No," he muttered, backing away, looking terrified. "He found out… h-he's gonna k-kill me…"

"Dang right!" Ari snarled, outraged at this trick. Iggy was still in there, and these freaks were wasting their time with a useless copy! "I know exactly what you're up to, runt. Well, the act's over! Give it up!"

At this, the clone looked confused. "Act? I…"

"We know he's not the real Iggy," Angel said. "But he's going to help us find him."

"What if Gunther-Hagen bugged him, or something?" Ari demanded. "He could be listening to everything we say!" The clone began to look scared again, but he ignored him.

"Screw Gunther-Hagen," Aaron said darkly. "We're getting Iggy and Fang back." Turning to the Eraser, he asked, "Are you in?"

Ari hesitated, not thrilled by the idea of working with a bunch of runts. But they were wasting time, just standing here – Iggy was still in desperate need of rescue, and Fang was obviously getting himself into trouble. "Yeah, I'm in," Ari said, and, taking one last glance at Max, he led the way towards the lab building.

_I'm coming, guys_, he thought, weaving through the thick forest. _Just don't do anything stupid…_

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I heard Aro and Axel gasp as they entered the cell. It must have been alarming to anyone who hadn't spent weeks locked inside, watching Iggy's condition slowly crumble. I looked at my brother's filthy, emaciated state sadly, regretting all the mistakes I'd made to get him there.

Approaching Iggy and crouching beside him, I saw that he was asleep, his scarred chest rising and falling slowly. Recovering from their shock, Axel and Aro joined me at the back of the cell, kneeling at the other side of Iggy and taking in the sickening sight of what Gunther-Hagen had done. Another gasp broke through the horrified silence. "His wings." Axel reached a tentative hand to the mussed, dirty feathers, and the wing flinched weakly away when his hand brushed it.

"Iggy?" I said, as my brother began to stir, letting out a quiet whimper. "Igs, it's okay. We're going to get you out of here."

Iggy's eyes fluttered open, staring blankly at nothing. "F… Fang."

"Yeah, it's me, Iggy," I said, taking his hand and squeezing it, bile rising in my throat when I noticed how bony it was. He had been changed so drastically in just a few weeks, and I wondered how long it would take to get him back to normal, now that we were taking him to safety. Just the thought of rescue made me flood with happiness, and I released his hand, starting to work on prying apart the chains that secured him here. Panting with exertion, beads of sweat forming on my forehead, I looked to Axel for help. He complied with a smirk, gesturing for Aro and I to back up, and in just a few moments, the chain gave way, the thick metal link that had broken sent flying across the room.

Iggy had begun to shake. He was curling up on the cold floor, shrinking away from Axel and muttering something that I couldn't quite hear. "Iggy, it's okay," I said, starting to feel concerned. "We're going to get you out of here."

"No, no," he said, a little louder this time. "Please… I didn't mean it, I'm sorry… just leave me alone, please…"

"Iggy, what are you talking about?" I said, kneeling beside him again, and Axel stopped working on the other chain, looking anxious. I reached forward to lay a comforting hand on Iggy's shoulder, but he flinched away, shuddering. Of course, he must still hate to be touched. I hoped he would over that, in time.

But he was still shaking, his eyes filled with fear, as well as an odd, crazed glint. Really beginning to worry, I asked, "Ig, what's wrong? What hurts?"

"J-Just go away," he pleaded, tears starting to gather in his eyes. "Please, just leave me alone, I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" He drew a shuddering breath, and then suddenly burst into sobs, unrestrained and wailing, shoulders shaking violently and tears pouring down his face.

"…I-Iggy," I said shakily, shocked and even scared by my brother's behavior. This… this wasn't normal. "Iggy, please tell me what's wrong." I reached forward, and hot tears ran over my fingers as I attempted to wipe them away.

He jerked away at the touch, scrambling back against the wall, his sobs subsiding but the tears still streaming down. He clamped his hands over his ears, drawing his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth, muttering a constant stream of, "You're not real, you're not real, you're not real…"

"Iggy –"

"_You're not real!"_

"Ig, please," I begged, feeling the warm prickle in my eyes as tears threatened to form. Something was horribly wrong with him, something that I could have stopped. He was acting like… like he was…

"You'renotrealyou'renotrealyou'renotreal…" Iggy began to claw at his ears with his fingernails, and if he noticed the blood he was drawing, he didn't make any action to stop it.

"Iggy!" Axel and I both jumped to tear his wrists away, and he began to scream, struggling against us with all the strength he had left.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, please, leave me alone, _go away!" _ We pinned his arms against the wall, and he continued to struggle, screaming at the top of his lungs. Eventually though, he stopped fighting, and just sat there against the wall, sobbing quietly. "Please… don't… don't hurt me…"

Something inside me broke apart at those words, and I had to fight back tears as I raised my fist, knowing there was no way that we could rescue him from this place like this. "I'm really sorry for this, Iggy," I said, my voice wavering. "Please forgive me."

I punched my brother as hard as I could, hitting him in the temple so he was knocked-out instantly. I felt like throwing up when I saw his blood on my knuckles, and I released his arm, letting it fall limply to his side. Axel did the same, and he hesitated before gripping my shoulder consolingly. Aro joined Iggy's side again, sending me a sympathetic look. Both of them appeared shaken, and I couldn't blame them. Iggy was… oh, gosh.

Staring blankly at my brother's face, I said bluntly, "He's gone insane." I started to shake, and along with the grief that flooded through, rage was flaring, so strong that I could see red. "He's made him go insane. Gunther-Hagen."

_Gunther-Hagen_. Not Ari, not the whitecoats, not even Jeb had ever made me feel hatred like I felt now. This was loathing and fury beyond anything I'd ever experienced.

And I wanted revenge.

I stood, quivering, feeling ready to bolt, to hit something, to go find that man and _kill him_. He ruined my brother's life, used him and broke him, just as carelessly as if he were a toy to play with and destroy. He'd just taken what he wanted from Iggy and disposed of him – by pushing his mind over the brink of sanity. Unless this could be fixed, my brother was gone. And it was _his_ fault. I had to get revenge. It was the only way to find closure.

"Fang…"

I was pulled out of my thoughts, and I looked at Aro and Axel, who were staring at me with worry and fear. I realized I was glaring coldly at the wall ahead of me, and I struggled to keep the fury under control – we still had to help Iggy.

I crouched back down beside my brother, and wordlessly took off the over-sized coat Ari had lent me as a shirt, wrapping him in it carefully. Axel finished breaking the second chain, and I picked Iggy up easily – he could've only weighed about eighty pounds.

I carried Iggy out into the hallway, and found the girls there. Amber must have heard Iggy's screaming, because she was being half held-back and half hugged by Arabel, tears in her eyes; Arabel seemed pretty shaken as well.

"Iggy!" The moment Amber saw him, she rushed to his side and placed a hand over her mouth, holding back a sob. Tears were threatening to overflow in her eyes, but she forced herself to be strong. Gently, she reached out and brushed some hair from Iggy's face. "What did they do to you?" She breathed, and I just about lost it. I wanted to break down right there, mourn the loss of my brother. He would probably never be the same again.

Because of _him_.

As we rode the elevator back up, there was only one thing I knew for sure.

I was going to find Gunther-Hagen. And then I would kill him. There was no way I could leave this place without revenge.

But as we reached the ground floor, I realized that finding Gunther-Hagen wouldn't be an issue. The doors slid open, and there, with dozens of armed Erasers behind him, stood the man I hated so much.

"Hello, children," he said, smirking smugly. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

**Hehe. I love cliffies when I don't have to read them. ;D**

**Though, I see now that ending like that was probably not the best idea – 'cause you guys will be begging for the next chapter, threatening me, etc. Well, as very sorry as I am to say this, that may not happen for a while, depending on how long it takes me to finish this preliminary project to get into virtual school English Honors (yeah, I'm not kidding, in December – when you homeschool, life is weird like that). I have to read 'Lord of The Flies' and answer a bunch of questions, write a summary, blah blah blah, and my mom won't let me even think about writing anything else until it's done (I was lucky to even finish this chappie). So please, try to be patient.**

**Hope you guys liked it. Please review!**


	37. Finally

**Okay guys, it's finally here – really sorry it took so long. First will be a Max POV, then Amber, Ari, and then Fang. Enjoy!**

_~ Chapter 37 – Finally ~_

I hung close to Aaron as we made our way through the thick forest of the island, sending furtive, nervous glances at the giant Eraser that led the procession. Honestly, there had to be something wrong with my little sister to put her trust in that monster – he was obviously bad news.

I looked up as a large shadow blocked out the light filtering through the leaves above, and I caught a glimpse of the fake-Iggy swooping overhead, his huge black-and-white wings flapping expertly to avoid the branches. I couldn't help but think how unfair it was that _he_ grasped the whole flying concept so easily, while I was still uncomfortable in the air. Him and the Eraser both, they just had 'trouble' written all over them – I didn't trust them, and, quite frankly, I was worried that they were leading us in the wrong direction.

But, what else could we do? There was no other option than to follow their lead, if we were going to rescue my brothers.

I sighed, sending a miserable look to Aaron. He offered me a reassuring smile, but I could clearly see the anxiety hidden behind it. It was obvious that he didn't trust the new editions, either.

"It's only about a fifteen-minute hike from here," the Eraser called back, bending under a tree branch and pushing some tall ferns aside.

"We'll see about that," Aaron muttered, and I felt a prickle of apprehension. What was this monster leading us to if it wasn't the lab?

But, my fears were soon relived when, sure enough, the blinding-bright walls of the lab building were visible ahead. We crept under the cover of bushes near the fence line, and fake-Iggy joined us on the ground as the Eraser revealed the plan to us in a gruff whisper. It was simple; all of the bird kids – the Iggy-clone, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and myself – were to fall on the patrolling guards and knock them out silently, clearing the way for the others. Then, we would all meet up at the North entrance, were there were very few scientists and Erasers hanging around. Ari informed us that this was where most of the experiments were kept.

"Everyone ready?" Ari asked, and we all nodded, if a bit apprehensively. I was scared and doubted in my ability to pull this off, but I would do it regardless – I had some brothers to save.

"Alright," the Eraser said quietly, tensing with anticipation. "Bird freaks, in the air. Go!"

We spread our wings and took off, launching ourselves into the air silently. Thankfully, there was now a heavy cloud-cover, so we left no shadow as we passed over the Erasers on the ground, waiting for the right opportunity to attack. Suddenly, one of the Erasers paused to investigate a noise from the forest, and I took advantage of this, diving in and swinging my fist at the back of his head. I saw the Eraser stumble dazedly, but then he turned around, an incredulous snarl on his face, huge fangs bared menacingly. _Crap_.

The Eraser made a swing at my head, but before the massive fist could make contact, something barreled into him, tackling him to the ground. Looking at my rescuer with surprise, I found Ari pounding the other mutant into unconsciousness. Glancing up at me, he barked, "Go!"

Not needing to be told twice, I took off for the North side of the building, finding the others already there, waiting anxiously by the door. Ari soon joined us, and once again led the way, guiding us noiselessly through the winding halls. I cast nervous glances at the doors as we passed, wondering what horrors lay beyond.

Suddenly, there was a noise in the hall ahead, just around the corner. Before we could duck into one of the doors to avoid getting caught, a man dressed in a long white lab coat and glasses strode into view, lined face looking weary and distraught. He immediately saw Ari, tall and bulky, standing in the middle of the hallway, and I held my breath, waiting for alarms to go off or something. Instead, I was shocked when he turned to me instead.

"Max?"

How did he know my name? Did I know this guy? "Um… yes," I replied, and a dozen different emotions passed over his face at once – happiness, confusion, pain, regret, and some other things that I couldn't quite place.

Before I could ask the man who he was, Ari stepped in front of me impatiently, and said, "Dad, do you know where Iggy is?"

Dad?

The man sighed. "Ari, you shouldn't be here –"

"Where is he?" Ari interrupted, anxiety and desperation evident in his expression. The man adverted his gaze to the linoleum floor.

"He's with Fang, Ari."

The Eraser wore a look of exasperation. "Where's Fang, then?"

"I don't know," said the man, clearly stressing. "Gunther-Hagen caught him on the security cameras, he's going to investigate with some Erasers now –"

"_What?" _Ari said, furious. "Why aren't you doing something?"

For this, the man seemed to have no answer. "Ari, I…"

"Oh, I see how it is," Ari said coldly, glaring at his father. "You're more concerned about your precious _job_ than Iggy and Fang's lives. I get it."

"Ari…" The man tried to reason with him, but Ari was already storming down the hall, heading off to who-knows-where to find my brothers. Aaron and I shared a worried glance, and quickly followed after him, leaving the scientist standing there, staring at the floor.

"We have to find them, before it's too late," I heard the Eraser mutter as he turned another corner, and I couldn't be sure if he was talking to himself or us. "Can't let him hurt them, not again…"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

"Let him go, you –"

Whatever Fang had been about to call Gunther-Hagen was muffled into incomprehension, as the Eraser restraining him clamped a large, clawed hand over his mouth, fangs bared in a nasty grin.

I was struggling against my own captor, my eyes locked on Iggy, limp and pitiful-looking in another Eraser's arms, wrapped in the ridiculously huge coat Fang had been wearing earlier. I saw blood trickling down from his temple, staining the dirty bangs that covered his eyes. I also noticed tear tracks were traced through the grit on his face, making my heart clench with both anger towards Gunther-Hagen, and the overwhelming desire to hold Iggy close, to comfort him, to take his pain away.

But that was looking to be impossible now, with the six of us at the mercy of Gunther-Hagen and his dogs. I was fighting desperately against the Eraser's hold, but his tight vice-like grip wouldn't loosen. "Let me _go!"_ I shouted, holding back tears. I couldn't cry, I had to be strong… but if we didn't do something soon, Iggy could be taken back to that filthy prison, and we would perhaps never see him again – and that was just something I couldn't deal with.

Fang tore his face away from the Eraser's hand, and spat, "You're never laying another hand on him again, do you hear me?" He was shaking with rage, an absolutely terrifying glare of fury directed at Gunther-Hagen. _If looks could kill_…

The scientist merely chuckled. "You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?" He said softly, clearly enjoying Fang's reaction. "Just so you know, boy, I'm not quite finished with your brother yet."

"You… you…" Fang was so mad, he could hardly form words to express his hatred for Gunther-Hagen. He was struggling wildly, trying to get free from the Eraser's hold, and as his eyes flickered to Iggy, I saw the burning rage in them falter for a moment, replaced by overwhelming grief. The fight left him, and, turning back to Gunther-Hagen, his gaze was filled with cold fury again. "You," he said, his voice like ice. "You've done enough. I'm done letting you get away with it."

This time, Gunther-Hagen returned his frigid glare. "And what do you suppose to do about it?" He asked challengingly.

"I'm going to kill you."

Fang's voice was stone cold, and I knew from the deadly look in his eyes, that he meant exactly what he said. For one long moment, the room was utterly still, and no one made a sound.

The silence was finally broken when Gunther-Hagen stepped forward, coming inches from Fang, and I saw him tense as the doctor leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Your brother is at my mercy. If you make even the slightest move to hurt me, my Erasers will not hesitate to snap his neck. So, go ahead and try it."

Drawing back again with a smug grin, he didn't give Fang another glance as he ordered, "Take them to one of the containment rooms to await testing. And bring Igneous to my private lab - now that I have successfully created a perfect clone of him, I'm going to need a good deal of DNA to construct a batch of several more. Soon, we'll have enough to infiltrate Itex…"

I watched him leave incredulously, a million questions swarming in my head at once. Did he seriously mean _clones? _Like, actual copies of Iggy that could function and everything? Before I could dwell much on this however, Fang began shouting after Gunther-Hagen as we were dragged away.

"I'll kill you! _I'll kill you!" _He was wrestling with the Eraser's grip, but was helpless against the wolf-mutant's strength as they pushed and shoved us down the halls. I didn't fight against them, knowing that the effort was hopeless, but instead I watched Iggy as he was carried away in the opposite direction, still out cold. I felt a pang of despair, as I wondered if this would be the last time I saw him. _Iggy_…

The Erasers dragged us along around a corner, and Iggy was gone. We were pushed into a small room, with about a dozen empty cages lining the walls, and were each forced into one, the metal doors clanging shut and locked immediately. The dogs quickly left us there, and I shrank into the back of my cage, curling up and drawing into myself completely.

We were captured. Iggy was gone. After all our attempts to rescue him, after all the promises I made to myself, he was still here. I would perhaps never see him again.

Finally, after fighting them back for so long, tears swarmed my vision, and I let them fall freely. I couldn't believe we had come so far, and for what? For us to come too late, and letting Iggy… and letting him go insane. I had been denying myself up until now, but how could I, after hearing the things he screamed back at the cells? His mind had obviously been tormented until it cracked, and now he had lost everything; his wings, his family, his innocence… and even his sanity.

Sobs wracked through my chest, and Arabel reached through the bars from the cage next to me to offer a comforting hand. "Shhh... it's okay, Am. " I let out another shuddering sob, and saw Fang in his own cage, burying his head in his hands. Everyone was filled with grief and despair, for Iggy and for ourselves. Who knew what would happen to us now, at the mercy of Dr. Gunther-Hagen. I remembered, years ago, being locked away like an animal in a cage just like this one, at the School in New Mexico. They had practically tortured us. I didn't want to be here, not again…

"We have to get out of here," Aro said grimly, and I couldn't be sure if he was talking to us or just himself. Either way, Axel nodded his head in agreement.

"You're right," he said quietly. "And we have to get… Iggy."

"Yeah."

The room was silent for a long time, save for my shuddering breaths, as I tried to regain control over my tears. Across the room, Fang had lifted his head from his hands, and was staring blankly at the wall, deep in thought.

As everyone retreated into their own minds, I let my thoughts drift back to the rest of The Pack. And Ari… maybe, just maybe, they would come looking for us. And maybe they could save Iggy…

If it was a decision I would be forced to make, I knew that I would choose Iggy's life over my own. Honestly, I still didn't know what caused me to love him and feel so strongly for him as I did, but I would do anything to ensure that he lived, and that he would be happy, and... and sane. Yes. I was sure that if I had some time, I could make his mind whole again. I had to - because I needed him to make me whole as well.

_Please, _I begged in my mind, feeling desperate beyond words for rescue. _Please, someone help us…_

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Ari searched everywhere. As he expected, Iggy and Fang's old cell was vacant, leaving nothing behind but the memories of dark stains on the floor. He knew that Gunther-Hagen couldn't be in his office, because he was sure they would have been caught on the security cameras already if the doctor had been watching his screen. So that left only one other place that he knew of… the white room, where Iggy had been forced to commit murder countless times, and where Fang had quite nearly died. They had to be there, they just had to… Ari didn't know where else to look.

The assorted mutants followed close behind him, each bearing distressed, anxious expressions. Ari paid the runty freaks no attention, striding down the halls at a brisk pace, the worry building in his mind as he thought of what might happen to his friends if he didn't make it in time…

_No, don't think that, _he ordered himself, now practically running through the building. He wasn't allowed to think about that, not now.

As he skidded around another corner, he could hear faint noises coming from behind one of the doors. His anxiousness to find Iggy and Fang told him to just keep running, but something in the back of his mind suggested checking inside. The impulse wouldn't be shaken, so he pushed the door open and peered inside.

"Fang!" Relief flooded through him at the sight of one of his best friends, and he rushed into the room. Fang immediately moved to the front of his cage, clutching the bars and gaping at Ari incredulously as the Eraser worked on prying the lock apart.

"But… how did you know –"

"I didn't," Ari replied, his face screwed up in exertion as he succeeded in breaking the lock. He unlatched Fang's door to let him out, and together they worked on freeing the other mutants.

"We have to get Iggy," said the pale blond girl the moment she was released from her cage, and Ari looked around the room anxiously.

"You mean… he's not with you guys?" Ari said, his spirits sinking with the realization that his other friend was not in the room. Fang shook his head angrily.

"Gunther-Hagen has him in some private lab room," he explained, eyes flashing with rage. "C'mon, we have to find him."

Ari nodded, and without hesitation he was running down the halls again, Fang and his group of mutants close on his heels, and the others trailing behind. He was heading in the direction of the various examination rooms, hoping against hope to find Dr. Gunther-Hagen's personal lab there, and not in some isolated portion of the building.

There was only one problem – the halls where the lab rooms were located were crawling with scientists. It was soon decided that just a few would go to search for Iggy while holding onto Arabel, with her freaky invisibility thing, and the rest would stay behind and hide in a nearby maintenance closet. Ari himself volunteered to go immediately, as well as Fang, and then Max and mister obnoxious blond offered as well.

At the sound of Max's voice, Fang turned to stare at her, as if he had noticed her standing there for the first time. His eyes lit up with unbelieving happiness. "Max?" He said, his anger and focus temporarily forgotten at the sight of Max, who he's missed for so long. A smile spread on his normally stony face. "Max!"

The Flock-leader just looked at him in confusion. "Um… do I know you?"

Fang rolled his yes, and said, "Come on, Max, quit messing around. Where have you been? I… I've missed you so much."

Max continued to stare, clearly uncomfortable. "Look, um…"

"Fang," Aaron whispered in her ear, and Fang frowned.

"Max," he said, sounding somewhat worried. "Joke's over. This is serious, we have to get Iggy –"

"I know," she said, looking slightly annoyed and sad at the same time. "Look, Fang, I'm not sure anyone told you, but…" She took a deep breath, looking Fang straight in the eye. "My memories were all lost," she said somberly. "And, unless we can get them back, the Max you knew is gone. I'm sorry."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I was stunned. My mind refused to process this new information. Because it was impossible – Max couldn't be… she couldn't be… _gone_. Oh, gosh. I was going to be sick.

"…Max?" I said, my gaze flickering from her to Aaron and back, desperately searching for some evidence that this was just a sick joke that was getting in the way of finding and rescuing Iggy. "Max… please…"

"Guys, we really don't have all day," Ari reminded us, and I forced myself to tear my eyes away from Max, and grab dazedly onto Arabel, who quickly deployed her invisibility power.

"I'm sorry, Fang," she whispered sympathetically, and I knew that this couldn't be a joke. This realization caused my knees to go weak, and a certain empty pain to fill my chest that I had never felt before. It struck me so hard, and it was all I could do to keep walking, only half-aware of the scientists that walked by. All I could think, all I could feel, was that Max was gone, much like Iggy was gone – maybe it could be fixed, maybe it would last forever.

Max was gone.

_No_.

"This way," Ari hissed, and I was pulled forcibly back to the present and the issue at hand as he dragged Arabel toward a door with a small inscription on the front.

EXAMINATION ROOM 114 - PRIVATE LAB OF DR. HANS GUNTHER-HAGEN

"Well, that was easy," Ari muttered quietly, and, after waiting for a couple scientists to turn the corner out of earshot, he pushed the door open and we slipped inside.

I saw Iggy immediately. He was lying on a metal gurney, covered from the waist down with a plain white sheet. Stuck into his wrist was a little tube, and my gaze followed it to a large hanging IV bag filled with what appeared to be several pints of crimson blood. _What does he need blood for?_ I wondered anxiously, worried that they had injured him somehow, but then I realized on further inspection that the blood wasn't merely dripping down into his system.

Instead, I noticed the bag was slowly filling up.

"Iggy!" I exclaimed, not hesitating in rushing to my brother's side, yanking out the tube that was sucking the life from him. He was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling much too slowly with shallow breaths, his skin even paler than it normally would be, so I could see nearly every bluish vein laced intricately below the surface. He had lost entire pints of blood, and I knew that he would need immediate medical help if he were going to make it out okay.

"Ari," I choked, reminded painfully of the time we had found Iggy in the bathtub, intentionally bleeding to death. "Help me." Ari was by my side instantly, snatching bandages from a nearby shelf and sticking one over the incision on his wrist, and then lifting Iggy carefully, gathering him up in his arms and wrapping the sheet securely around him.

Holding onto Arabel again, we quickly left the room and were able to avoid the scientists all the way to the end of the hall. Finding the closet that the others were hiding in, I wrenched the door open and hissed, "Guys, we've got him, let's go!"

As the kids hurried out, I noticed someone else was with them – someone who seemed remarkably familiar…

_What the heck?_

It was Iggy – or at least, it _looked_ like Iggy. He had the same hair that was maybe about an inch shorter, same height and face exactly. I looked from him to the Iggy in Ari's arms incredulously, completely and utterly confused.

This all had to be some weird fever-dream… yeah, that had to be it. Max couldn't have possibly lost her memories, that was just ridiculous, there's no way that could happen. And Iggy… Iggy was strong, the strongest person I knew – there was a definite chance that he hadn't gone insane. Yes, it all had to be some kind of dream – or, more accurately, a horrible nightmare. Then all I'd have to do would be to wake up, and everything would be okay… or, as okay as things ever got these days. _Wake up, Fang_, I ordered myself desperately. _Please, please wake up…_

"Fang, come on," Ari barked, and when he noticed me staring at the strange Iggy-duplicate, he huffed and explained, "it's a clone. That's what Gunther-Hagen was taking the blood for; he probably wants to make a batch of 'em now that he figured out how to do them correctly. He's hanging out with us now."

"A… a clone?" I asked warily, and Aaron nodded.

"Yeah, man," he confirmed. "You've really been out-of-the-loop for a while now, haven't you?"

"I guess so," I muttered, the weak hope that none of this had ever happened sinking despairingly. So much for Max and Iggy not being lost…

Suddenly, my ears picked up the sounds of voices, and heavy footsteps approaching from around the corner.

"Hide!" Ari hissed, and we all ducked back into the closet. Unfortunately, the Iggy-clone shut the door much to hard on accident, causing it to slam behind him. The voices suddenly stopped, and I held my breath, pleading that they hadn't heard…

"Hey, did you hear something?" Came the muffled, gravely voice of an Eraser, and Ari cursed under his breath.

"You idiot!" Aaron whispered to the clone angrily. "You did that on purpose! Now we're all going to get caught."

"Shhh," Angel hushed, and everyone fell silent, listening to the Erasers debating and hoping against hope that they would just move on.

"Man, you're hearing things."

"No, I swear I heard someone in that closet!"

"It's probably just the janitor – someone has to keep this place clean."

"I heard whispering…"

"Jack, come on, let's just go to the mess hall. I'm _starving."_

"You'll live."

"Jack –"

But the Eraser was already at the door, and I thought my heart would beat out of my chest as the knob began to turn…

"What do you two think you're doing? Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

My eyes widened when I heard Jeb's unmistakable voice, and as the grumbling Erasers trudged away, I breathed a silent sigh of relief, my heart still hammering at a hundred miles-per-hour. I expected Jeb to scamper back off to Gunther-Hagen, but instead he pulled the door open as soon as the Eraser's footsteps died away, giving us all a worried look.

"Follow me, I can get you out!"

At those words, my mind flashed back to the night we were recued from The School, when Jeb had pulled us along through the winding halls, barely managing to get us all out. It was exactly like it had been all those years ago. And then he had betrayed us…

At seeing our hesitation, he said urgently, "Come on, there's no time to explain – I have a helicopter waiting outside, if we hurry we can make it before anyone notices. Let's go!"

Ari gave his father a strange looked filled with a dozen different emotions at once – but ultimately he decided to join him, carrying Iggy in his broad arms. Jeb gave Iggy a glance that held something like regret in his eyes, before turning to the rest of us and saying, "Trust me."

Any other time, I'm sure I would have been more skeptical around the man that had abandoned my family and I for the whitecoats. But, at the moment, my focus was on getting Iggy to safety – and besides, what did we have to lose? We had to take this chance.

Reluctantly, I joined Ari by Jeb's side, and that seemed to be the cue for everyone else to follow suit. Jeb smiled at us wearily, and led the way down the halls. Miraculously, nobody questioned him as we passed; they simply nodded curtly and continued about their business. Jeb just kept a calm, casual façade, walking briskly through the building with us trailing quickly behind. The exit was soon in sight, and he tried to usher us out. But I couldn't move.

"Fang, come on," he urged, "We have to hurry, before Gunther-Hagen gets back to his office. He could be on his way now!"

Gunther-Hagen. I had sworn that I wouldn't leave without getting revenge. He deserved nothing less than death for what he had done to Iggy, and to all the other poor kids stuck inside, being experimented on and tortured under his cruel authority. I knew that I couldn't be satisfied until he was dead.

"Fang, please," Amber said, tugging on my arm and giving me a desperate look. "I know you want to make Gunther-Hagen pay for what he did, believe me, I do to – but Iggy doesn't have time for this."

Unwillingly, I knew she was right. Iggy didn't have time for this. I reluctantly followed Jeb outside to a gate in the fence that had a pass-code lock, which Jeb typed in impatiently, allowing us to slip into the forest to find a helicopter, nestled in a clearing amongst the trees.

"Alright, get in, hurry," Jeb urged anxiously, and we piled into the helicopter, Ari up front with Jeb and Iggy. We were all very uncomfortable, squished together like total sardines, but as we lifted into the air, my spirits were soaring.

We had Iggy. Finally, _finally_ we had succeeded in rescuing him. Later, we would have to deal with his broken mind, but for now, all I could think was that he was safe; we were taking him home. Finally.

**-sighs with relief- Thank goodness that's done, sure took long enough. So, there it is, the rescue chapter. And, for those of you that are demanding revenge on Gunther-Hagen (which I'm sure is pretty much all), it is coming – all in due time readers, all in due time. Yeah, Iggy may be rescued, but this fic is nowhere near being done yet. I have plenty more plot planned out.**

**Please review! They are my only thanks for all the time spent on writing, so I'd appreciate some feedback. :)**


	38. Promise

**Here it is, chapter 38 – I'm just going to stop apologizing for lateness, 'cause it looks like this is becoming the norm, due to my schoolwork (don't blame me, blame the algebra – English I can do, but I've never been spectacular at math). D: **

**Anyway, First will be a Max POV, and then Amber. Also, this chapter is dedicated to flYegurl, for surviving a day of finals. Yay you!**

_~ Chapter 38 – Promise ~_

The helicopter finally landed, and I thanked my lucky stars that the pilot had remained at the controls the entire flight. We all clambered out, and everyone immediately swarmed around Ari, who still held an unconscious Iggy in his arms, looking anxious.

"Dad, Iggy needs blood, they took a bunch at the lab," the Eraser informed his father in a worried tone. "Can you help him?"

The scientist nodded wearily. "I should be able to. I have some equipment stored in the safe house; we can do a transfusion with one of the Flock members. In fact…" Jeb turned to look at the Iggy-clone, and said, "You – would you care to contribute some of your blood? It would be the best to use, as your genetic makeup is identical to Iggy's."

The fake-Iggy looked startled, but he nodded timidly. Well, wasn't that… _nice_ of him. He had to be plotting something though; I knew that all this innocent behavior had to be some kind of hoax to get us to trust him. Well, that was never going to happen, not with me. I wasn't that gullible.

"Alright, let's go – the sooner we get out of the open, the better," Jeb said, already trudging toward the little cabin in the distance. The bedraggled and mismatched group followed after him, Ari leading the way with Iggy draped limply in his arms, and his clone walking nervously beside them, sending an odd sort of anxious, curious glance at Iggy's face, completely identical to his own. Aaron was glaring darkly at them from behind, radiating distrust and resentment. I hoped that the moment the clone was done giving Iggy some blood, him and the dog would get lost; all the tension they were creating was sure to cause a blowout eventually.

We all stepped into the house, which smelled musty and didn't look anything impressive, just a cozy space that barely fit everyone in the little living area that consisted of a beat-up old pair of couches and a tiny kitchen.

"Home sweet home," Jeb muttered, and people moved to either squeeze onto the couches or lean against the counters and peeling painted walls. Ari laid Iggy on one of the couches, and sat at his feet, his claws digging into the armrest nervously. Fang was sitting at the other end, staring down at Iggy who's head rested in his lap, concern and an overwhelming sadness written plainly in his expression. He was obviously grief-stricken, but I couldn't understand why – I mean, he ought to be leaping for joy, they were both rescued, everything was going to be alright. That is, if the new additions to our little group didn't murder us in our sleep.

Jeb disappeared into the back of the house, and returned holding a syringe with a thin silver needle. "Alright," he said, looking at Iggy's clone. "Please come here." The clone obediently stepped forward, holding out his arm and allowing Jeb to insert the needle, wincing slightly as it penetrated the pale skin. Once it was full with crimson blood, Jeb emptied the contents into an IV bag and repeated the process. He had drawn blood four times before he was satisfied. "Forgive me," he told a dizzy and slightly green-tinged clone, "The syringe wasn't nearly big enough for this sort of thing – we're low on supplies here." The clone just nodded wordlessly, swaying where he stood until Angel scooted over to make room for him on the couch, which he sank into gratefully.

Soon the IV was set up and Iggy was steadily regaining a good amount of the precious blood he lost, and everyone just stood around, staring at his blank face, half-hidden by the pale strawberry bangs. Eventually, Axel cleared his throat awkwardly to break the silence. "Well… Fang, maybe you should tell them now."

Fang looked up at all of us, and I stared back at his mournful obsidian eyes in confusion. What was Axel talking about? Were they hiding something from the rest of us? Fang's sigh was barely audible, and his gaze fell back to Iggy's face as he absentmindedly brushed some hair from his brother's eyes. "You all need to know something," he said quietly, his own dark bangs hiding his eyes from view. "A few things, actually. About Iggy."

As if this were his cue, Ari looked over at Jeb and said, "Dad, how 'bout you take the kids to play outside – I'm sure they're getting bored in this tiny tin can." The scientist nodded his understanding, and the younger members of the two mutant families reluctantly filed out the door, Jeb drawing their attention to some animal in the forest.

Now I was really curious. What could Fang have to tell us that he didn't want the kids to hear?

"When I left, I was going to get Iggy," Fang began, his voice soft with barely concealed misery. "An Eraser told me where he was. I got to the island and managed to sneak inside the building, but Gunther-Hagen caught us. We were put in this room, and no one came in for a few days." Fang seemed lost in his own world of memories, the strain in his words evidence to the pain that they caused. "Then, one night, Gunther-Hagen came in, and he…"

Fang looked up from his brother's face, his piercing gaze fixed on my curious stare. "He raped him. Over and over again, and I couldn't do a thing to stop him."

I gaped at him. …_What? _Was he serious? Guys don't get raped, that's just ridiculous - the idea was so absurd, I almost felt the urge to laugh. That kind of thing only happened to _girls_… right?

Glancing over at Aaron, I saw that he had doubts, too. "Uh… What?"

"You heard him, Aaron," Arabel said. "Fang is telling the truth."

"That's so sad…" Nudge said quietly, her voice full of sympathy. "I mean, I don't remember Iggy, but he sounds like a nice guy, and I feel really bad that something like that happened to him. Not like anyone would deserve that anyway, but Gunther-Hagen's just so awful to do that, and –"

"You're really serious?" I interrupted, my incredulous gaze searching Fang for any signs of this being some kind of joke.

Fang looked at me, a slightly angry and defensive expression forming in his dark eyes. "Yeah, I am," he said, a bit of an edge in his voice. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, that's just kind of… weird," I said, wondering why Fang and the others didn't seem to get the point. "Not to mention a little gross."

Anger flashed in Fang's eyes. "It wasn't his fault, Max," he said, the hand that wasn't resting on Iggy's head clenching into a fist. "Have a little compassion."

"Well, how do you expect her to feel?" Aaron said from his place leaning against the wall, his expression holding a slight hint of disgust. "I mean… you're telling us that Gunther-Hagen used him like some kind of sex toy. That's not the Iggy I know, and I don't want him around the kids anymore."

Nearly everyone flinched at the harsh words, but I knew that he was right. To be perfectly honest, I didn't know how I felt about Iggy now – all my thoughts of loving him as a brother, of being a normal, happy mutant family now that everyone was rescued, were tarnished and stained by what could only be labeled as disgust. Face it, my brother was coming off as something dirty, indecent, and someone I knew that I would never feel comfortable being around. It was pretty sad, but also the shameful truth. I could never accept this boy as part of our family.

In one swift movement, Fang had lifted Iggy's head from his lap and stood, shaking with anger. "What did you say?" He practically snarled.

"Calm down, Fang," Aaron said, holding up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Look, all I meant to say was that, well, who knows what Iggy would do to one of them. You know, I heard once that people who are abused like that are more likely to repeat the action on others…"

"Do you honestly think Iggy would do that?" Fang roared furiously, all his pain and frustration flowing out of him in a rush of anger. "Unlike Gunther-Hagen, he's not a sick, sadistic monster – is that the kind of person you think Iggy is?"

"Well, I don't know," Aaron said, starting to return the glare Fang was shooting at him. "After we risked our necks to save him, I only really knew him for a couple days. He could be a crazy psycho for all I know."

For some reason, this seemed to strike a nerve in Fang, and the other Pack members with him as well. Fang was shaking with rage as he retorted, "Maybe you're right."

Aaron looked confused. "What?"

"It took four weeks in that heckish place for him to finally break," Fang informed him coldly, his onyx eyes filled with fury and infinite pain. "Iggy's been driven insane, Aaron."

Aaron's eyes widened, as did mine. I was completely shocked. I knew by now that there was no possibility of this being a joke, but I certainly wished it were. _Insane? _As in, straightjacket, laughing hysterically, and mumbling nonsense kind of insane? That thought made my nerves run cold, and fear flooded through me. If I wasn't sure of it before, I was now – I did _not_ want this boy living with us. Just the idea of being around such a person terrified me.

"Okay," I said shakily, deciding right here and now to lay down the line. This had gone on long enough. "Look, I don't mean to be cruel or anything, but we cannot have… someone like Iggy living with us. I mean…" Sending a glance at Fang to meet his icy stare, I struggled to find the right words. I didn't want to make him angrier, but something had to be done. "I refuse to be anywhere near some raped psycho," I stated firmly. "It creeps me out, and the kids wouldn't be safe. Alright?"

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

I couldn't believe Max. She was acting so prejudiced, so cold; had her heart been taken along with her memories? And what was with Aaron? It made me feel hurt to know that these people that I thought I knew were just like every other ignorant person on the planet, it made me so _furious_. It wasn't Iggy's fault! Why couldn't they just open their eyes and see that?

Max was still talking, trying to convince everyone that Iggy was _disgusting, unsafe_, a _liability_. I couldn't take it anymore. "Just shut up, okay?" I blurted out sharply, making Max and Aaron turn to me in surprise. With everyone's eyes on me, I was tempted to sink back and mumble an apology, like always, shy little Amber – but there was rage burning up in the pit of my stomach, fueling my words and giving me a sense of confidence and courage that I'd never felt before. I couldn't stop now. I stood up from the couch, my hands balling into fists, feeling my eyes light with fury.

"You don't know him," I said, not tearing my gaze from Max's incredulous stare. "But I do. And I know that Iggy wouldn't hurt anyone, regardless of the state he's in." I flinched at this, but kept going without hesitation. "He's just scared. He's broken and terrified, and you would do well to have a little_ compassion_ and _understanding_. Because he needs us right now, _all of us,_ to show him that he doesn't have to be that anymore. We have to build him up, not tear him down – can't you see that?"

Max looked shocked by my outburst. Her mouth was opening and shutting like a fish, struggling to respond. "I…"

"And you," I continued, glaring at Aaron now. "What the heck is your problem? Is it Alana?"

Aaron paled, and I knew that I had struck a nerve. Alana. She had been part of The Pack, while we had still been at The School in New Mexico, and was Aaron's best friend. Actually, she was the one who had wanted to call us a Pack – she hadn't been a feline hybrid like the rest of us, but rather had some sort of canine DNA, different than the Erasers. Her, Aaron, Axel, Arabel and me had been about to escape together, had it all planned out with Aaron's and waiting, when tragedy struck.

Aaron's father, who had helped us with the escape plan, betrayed us by telling his boss what we had been plotting, leaving himself out of the picture of course. His boss had been furious with us, and to teach us a lesson, he came into the confinement room where we were all locked away in cages, and brought out a struggling Alana. He then proceeded to pull all the clothes from her tiny, eight-year-old body and let his hands roam free all over her. She was terrified, and she began to cry, but we could do nothing as the horrible man did the strange things to her.

The whitecoat raped her, and left her unconscious body for the Erasers. Ever since having watched the horrifying scene, Aaron had been resolved like stone against anything having to do with the whitecoat's actions. So, that meant that if he were afraid Iggy would suddenly start doing the unthinkable to one of the kids…

My expression softened somewhat, and the fury left my eyes as I looked at Aaron's shocked and hurt filled ones. "Aaron… I'm sorry," I said with a sigh, regretting having brought up such a painful subject. "But you have to understand that Iggy's not like that."

"Well, he's insane, isn't he?" Aaron said, anger still evident in his voice. "He's not in his right mind, who knows what he would do."

"Aaron," Fang interjected, seeming to have calmed his fury. "It's okay. He won't hurt anyone, trust me."

Aaron still seemed to retain a spark of doubt, but I knew that for the most part he was convinced. Max, however, was still unsure. "Look, you don't have any idea how he's going to act," she persisted. "And besides, how do you think you're going to be able to do anything to help him? Face it, he's not coming back."

These words struck me more than anything. _He's not coming back_. No, it couldn't be true; I refused to believe it. I could bring Iggy back - I _knew_ that I could. I had to. Because life without Iggy was unthinkable, and I would do anything to save him from this life of fear and confusion.

"You're wrong," I told Max, filled with certainty – I would prove t to her.

Without another word, I stepped past Fang and looked at Iggy's peaceful face. "Fang… help me carry him to one of the rooms in the back. He needs to rest somewhere quiet." Fang nodded, and he carefully picked his brother up from the couch, carrying him down the hall and into one of the bedrooms, setting him down on the bed. We both settled down into chairs next to him, and I watched his face, imagining him smiling and happy again. Imagining him as finally being mine.

"I'll prove it to them," I whispered, to the softly sleeping figure and to myself. "I'll bring you back, Iggy, and you'll be happy again. I promise."

**Yay! Well, Max and Aaron are being jerks, but they'll come around eventually. **

**By the way, I have discovered two things this past week that I absolutely LOVE – Death Note anime, and Red (it's a band). First of all, let me just say that I think I've fallen in love with L from Death Note. He's so strange and smart and HOT, and just… yeah. –sighs dreamily- My heart will always belong to Iggy, but something about L… hehe, I love anime.**

**Also, Red is my absolute new favorite band. I wrote pretty much this whole chapter listening to them, they're just so awesome. If it's possible to marry an album, I'm proposing to "Innocence and Instinct". Go out and buy it. Do it now.**

**Please review! :D**


	39. Waking

**Here it is, chapter 39. I'm so sorry that is was even later than usual, especially with this lovely holiday, but my parents made me stop writing for a little while – long story. **

**Anyway, the POVs shall go as follows: Fang, Ari, and then Iggy. Enjoy!**

_~ Chapter 39 – Waking ~_

I sat alone at Iggy's bedside, having finished the job of getting him cleaned up. It was difficult trying to do this with him still out cold, but he was finally no longer covered in blood and grime, and he had on proper clothes again. With him sleeping soundly, it could seem as if none of it had ever happened… if only it would be that easy when he woke up.

I heard Jeb come back into the house with the kids, and I got up quietly; I decided I was going to have a little chat with Jeb, just to make a few things clear – where we were, how long we were staying, and most importantly, _why_ he even bothered bringing us here in the first place. I know I should probably try to trust him at this point, but there would always be that day two years ago, the day he left us all to survive on our own… the day he betrayed us for the whitecoats. That memory was burned in the back of my mind, and I knew that it would take a lot of time and effort on Jeb's part to convince me that he was completely trustworthy, especially now that my main priority was protecting Iggy, and making sure that no more harm fell on him… he had already suffered so much. Enough to drive him to insanity…

_No, don't think about that_, I ordered myself. I still had time to ignore the fact that my brother was pretty much gone, the dark truth that was slowly eating at my insides and tearing me to pieces. Now that my entire family but Iggy had lost all memory me, it seemed like he was all I had left. He couldn't be gone, he just… couldn't. I had to get him back, it was the only option. Otherwise… I would be alone. After all that had happened, I don't think I could live with that.

I walked out into the hall to find Jeb standing there, looking worn-out, surrounded by young mutants, all of which were grinning happily. "That was fun!" Gazzy cried breathlessly, looking at Jeb as if he had never betrayed him… of course, in his world, Jeb was merely the stranger that had rescued him and his friends.

I held back a sigh – everything that my family had been, all the bonds that were formed over years in cages and an E-shaped house, all the memories… had become nothing more than broken ties, forgotten days from another life that only my insane brother and I had survived. We had been left behind, and it hurt. It hurt like nothing I had ever felt before, not when I watched Iggy break over three weeks, not even when I'd realized that it had resulted in his severely damaged mind. Because there was a chance that his sanity could be regained. But this… this seemed so much more permanent. Beyond repair. I don't know if I would ever get my family back.

"Jeb," I said, looking the man in the eye and being careful to not show any emotion. At this point, I was still indifferent towards the whitecoat that had claimed to care for us as his children. I guess we would see about that. "We need to talk."

Jeb looked as though he had been expecting this. He nodded solemnly, and moved toward the room that I had just left, but I stopped him. "I wouldn't mind having the others around, would you?" I said cautiously, making sure that he knew my trust for him would still have to be gained. Besides, if there really was a reason to be suspicious of him, I didn't want him anywhere near Iggy.

"Of course not," Jeb said, but I could see that he hadn't missed what I had implied in my statement. We both headed into the miniscule kitchen, and I sat on the counter, leaving Jeb to take a seat at the table, adjusting his glasses with his usual weary expression. "I assume that you want to know why I brought you here," he said, as if anticipating what I was about to ask.

Slightly miffed, I nodded. Jeb let out a sigh.

"Of course, I should have known it would be harder gaining your trust," he said, and I merely stared back at him in confirmation. "Well, then," he continued. "You should know that I took you all to this safe house to protect you. I have… made some mistakes in the past, which I regret dearly, and I want to try to prove myself to you again by offering some safety from Gunther-Hagen."

"And what about the whitecoats?" I asked, unfazed. Jeb fidgeted with his glasses again, a nervous habit of his that I had come to recognize from living at the E-shaped house.

"I… I cannot guarantee complete security there," he admitted, to which I was not surprised.

"No, of course not," I grumbled, but then I let out a sigh. I could usually tell when a person was lying, and Jeb was coming off as a man who honestly cared for the group of assorted mutants he'd rescued. I was willing to trust him for now, as long as he kept his distance from Iggy. "Well… I'm sure we can handle a few Erasers if need be," I said with a shrug. Jeb nodded, a relieved expression crossing over his face.

"So…" I continued. "That leads me to the question, where are we, exactly?"

"Minnesota," he answered. "In the middle of nowhere, to be precise."

"Right." Well, that was good enough for me.

"Well, that's great and all," came a voice from the living room, and I looked over to see that Aaron had stood up from the couch and was walking into the kitchen to join us. "But what are we going to do with Iggy?"

My eyes narrowed in anger, my frustration with Aaron building again. I didn't understand why he couldn't just accept Iggy and what had happened to him, and work towards making him better instead of calling him out on what he couldn't control. "What do you mean, what do we do with him?" I asked, an edge in my voice. "We get his sanity back, what else?"

Aaron returned my cold gaze. "Look Fang, the thing is that the chance of restoring Iggy's sanity is a thousand to one. He belongs somewhere that he can't hurt anyone, not in the room down the hall!"

"Do you honestly think Iggy's _dangerous?" _I shouted, my hands clenching into fists.

"Well, yeah," Aaron retorted. "Face it Fang, there's no telling what he will do, in this state. We would've been better off just leaving him there."

I was off the counter and in Aaron's face in a second, shaking fists clenched so tightly that I could feel blood being drawn, but I didn't care – all that mattered right then was that Aaron was about to get beaten to a pulp, because something in me had snapped. I tackled the other boy to the ground, fists flailing at any amount of exposed flesh I could reach, roaring obscenities at the top of my lungs directed toward the writhing mutant beneath me, completely unaware and unconcerned about the little kids looking on the scene with wide eyes.

"Fang! _Fang!"_ Someone was calling for me to stop, but that only drove me on, and in that moment, I was content to continue beating on the dazed form of Aaron until he was bloody and still. I don't know what had gotten into me, but it seemed that all my pent-up fury and lust for revenge had been released in one burst, and I don't think that at that point it was really Aaron I was trying to harm as much as possible. The only face in my mind was that of Gunther-Hagen, and it was easy to picture the blood-streaked figure I was pounding on as the sadistic scientist that had ruined my brother's life, had taken everything I had away…

"_Fang, stop!" _Someone was tearing me awayfrom Aaron, and for some reason I couldn't find it in me to resist. I was dazed and confused, and I watched as people surrounded the unmoving figure on the floor. Someone pushed me out of the way to get close to him, and I realized it was Max, tears leaking from her eyes as her hands fluttered over his chest, cataloguing injuries.

"Aaron, Aaron wake up," she was saying, and she leaned over him, placing her lips on his bloodstained mouth…

My heart seemed to stop in that one moment, and life screeched to a halt as my whole world shattered and came crashing down in a broken heap. _Max_…

For so long, I'd been convinced that maybe, just maybe Max had felt something for me in return. And, the sick fact of the matter was, maybe she did – maybe there had been something there, before it had all been lost in some inaccessible part of her, locked away and buried deep. While I was off saving my brother, she had fallen for Aaron, the very person that seemed bent on destroying all the hope I had left in me.

It was all too much.

I did the only thing I could – I ran. I got out of there as quickly as possible, and took off into the sky. The afternoon sun was blazing, beating on the treetops below and seeping warmth through my feathers and clothes. It was all too bright, too blue, too freaking peaceful, when as far as I was concerned, my life was over. Aaron was probably right; I had no idea how we were going to bring Iggy back – and as long as he and Max were together…

_That's it_, I thought. _I've had enough_.

"You hear that?" I shouted out loud to whoever was listening. "I can't take it anymore!" I don't know where the tears had come from, but they were suddenly streaming down my face, and I gave into the shuddering sobs that racked through my body, finally allowing myself to break down and confront the grief and pain that had been concealed by all the anger. As hard as I tried to stay tough and strong, at the end of the day I was still just a kid; we were all just a bunch of kids.

_I can't take it…_

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

People were still scampering around to get bandages and the like for the blonde runt, who was out cold. He was covered in blood and bruised black-and-blue, with a couple fractured ribs for his trouble. Honestly, Ari thought that the freak deserved it, but he was surprised as anyone that Fang would just snap like that. He still hadn't come back, and Ari was beginning to worry.

"That jerk," Max hissed under her breath, dabbing at Aaron's busted face with a damp washrag.

Yes, Max certainly had changed – it was true that Ari had once loved her with all his heart, but now that her memories were gone, it was like she was a total stranger. He wasn't sure how he felt about her now; all the hate and love had simply vanished with this entirely new person.

Once the blonde freak was all patched up and placed comfortably on one of the couches, Jeb took off his glasses and began cleaning them with his shirt, releasing a weary sigh. "Well, before we were interrupted by this little incident," he said, sending a pointed glance at Aaron's unconscious form, "A very important question was brought to my attention."

"What – you mean about Iggy?" Ari said incredulously. He couldn't imagine that Iggy might be _dangerous_, whatever the circumstances. Still… he wasn't in his right mind. In this state, something could easily happen to set him off, and who knew what he would do.

"Yes, Ari," Jeb said. "Iggy is in a very volatile position right now, and for the safety and well-being of all of us here, I find it in everyone's best interests to keep him in a more isolated place, where only the more… mature children can go see him."

As his words settled in, Ari saw a few people fidgeting nervously in their seats. A scary thought crossed his mind – what if he was really unprepared for what awaited him when Iggy woke up?

"So… where are we going to keep him?" Max asked, the look in her eyes giving Ari the impression that she was thinking of Iggy as more of a dangerous wild animal that deserved to be locked up rather than a suffering boy in desperate need of help.

"I was thinking that the basement would be a good place," said Jeb, rubbing the back of his neck in deep thought. "Perhaps we can move one of the beds down there to make it more comfortable…"

"Yes," Ari said, jumping to his feet. "You two," he said, sending a glance toward the feline freaks called Axel and Aro, "get the bed. I'll carry Iggy." They both nodded, and moved to the back room where Iggy was still fast asleep. Ari carefully lifted the thin figure into his arms, and made sure that the other two had the bed he'd been laying on under control, and led the way down the stairs to the basement.

The room seemed much more spacious than the cramped house above, with nothing but a couple dusty chairs to furnish it. The walls, floor and ceiling were all made of concrete, and countless dust motes swirled around in the cool, musty air as the bed was placed on the ground. There was one bare light bulb to illuminate the room, and Axel pulled the chain, allowing all the dark corners of the place to come into view. Ari spotted something lying on the floor, and he set Iggy down gently on the bed to pick it up and examine it, realizing at once that it was the jagged, rusty remains of some kind of metal instrument Jeb had stored down there. He quickly pocketed it – no need to allow Iggy access to that.

"Should we wait here for him to wake up…?" Axel asked with a glance at Iggy, and Ari shook his head.

"No. He'll need some space; we don't want to overwhelm him or anything," he said, as if Iggy were some fragile new pet. No one needed telling twice, and though Ari would never admit it, he was glad to be out of there before he had to confront this insane Iggy. He knew he had to help him, but… it seemed so much easier to just avoid contact with a fractured mind like that for as long as he could – because, the fact was, he was scared. He was glad Jeb had thought of the little kids' welfare in sending Iggy down there, because at their age they would certainly be traumatized by his behavior.

Once back in the living room, Jeb nodded his approval and said, "Good. You made sure there was nothing dangerous down there, right?"

Ari wordlessly pulled the jagged metal piece from his pocket, and Jeb took it with a sigh. "Alright. Well, I suppose all we can do now is wait for him to wake up –"

He was cut off by a piercing shriek that filled the house, making the hairs on Ari's body stand on end. It sounding like it was coming from…

"The basement," Amber said anxiously. "I-Iggy."

_~pandorad24luvsu~_

Where was I? Where was I? I was lying in a bed… I'd forgotten what it felt like to sleep on a mattress. It was soft, and warm, but I was scared – because there were no beds at the lab, and I didn't know where I was… was this just another illusion?

I wrestled with the sheets and ripped them off of me, immediately toppling onto the floor and scrambling away from the bed. _Not real, not real_… my back collided with a wall of cold concrete, and as memories flashed through my mind of chains encircling me, rough hands roaming over my skin, I let out a scream; I was still here, I was here in this cell where Gunther-Hagen could touch me, where Fang's voice could torment me endlessly. _No, no, no_…

"Iggy?"

Who was that? What was that voice? It was high and feminine, something I hadn't heard in a long time, and it held an odd purr… _Why is this familiar?_

"A-are you okay? Let me… let me help you…"

Footsteps were heard walking towards me, and I scrambled back, letting out a small yelp when my back met the corner of the room. The person paused, advancing more cautiously now. "It's okay, I won't hurt you –"

"Stay away!" I said, bringing my legs close to my chest to keep as far as possible from the intruder. Maybe it was a scientist, coming to take me to an experiment – or perhaps back to that horrible white room…

"No!" I shrieked, suddenly terrified. "No, no, don't take me back, not there, please…"

"Iggy…"

_Iggy_.

I yelped in surprise, as Fang's voice entered my mind again. He was going to torture me, hurt me…

_Iggy, why did you kill me?_

"No, no, no…" I whimpered, cowering under the force of his words. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. Please Fang, I d-didn't mean to, I'm sorry…"

"Fang isn't here, Iggy," said the girl's voice with something like concern.

_Sorry isn't good enough_.

"Fang, please stop, please, I'm sorry," I said shakily, as I felt the first blow. I tried holding up my hands to protect myself, but it made no difference. I felt the pain just the same. Or was that simply my heart, throbbing agonizingly with guilt? I honestly couldn't tell the difference anymore…

_Die, Iggy. You don't deserve to live. Die…_

"I would if I could," I said quietly, my voice breaking. I just couldn't take this anymore.

**Jeez, Iggy's mind is obviously pretty messed up. Poor guy… anyway, lots of drama in this chapter. I hope you guys liked it… **

**Also, just thought I should mention, I got the Maximum Ride manga series for Christmas! YAY! Iggy… is so… **_**hot**_**… -drools- **

**Hehe. **

**Please review! I luvs my reviewers! :D**


	40. Voices

**Hey, guys. Let me just start off by saying, I am so, so sorry for how late this chapter is – I had a bunch of things going on, including a family vacation (Harry Potter world at Universal Studious is AMAZING, by the way – got an awesome Ravenclaw shirt, and a mug of delicious butterbeer. **_**Mmm**_**…), a screwed-up school schedule that put me an entire WEEK behind in English, and something else that was occupying my time… which I won't tell you, so you don't get disappointed 'cause it's not happening. Long story.**

**Anyways, here are the POVs: Fang, Iggy, and then Aaron. Enjoy the chapter.**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 40 – Voices ~_

_

* * *

_

It was a long time before I was ready to go back to the safe house and face everyone after what had happened. I flew around nowhere in particular for hours, reminded of the time only by the setting sun. Honestly, if it weren't for Iggy, I'd probably just keep flying and not look back. But he was counting on me, had maybe even woken up already, and was having to be kept under control by everyone else…

Oh, jeez – I can't believe I had left him alone with them! I knew I could count on most of the pack, but the flock were now total strangers and I didn't completely trust Jeb either. And Aaron… no. I definitely didn't trust _him_. Not anymore. _I have to get back_.

I flew as fast as I could, coming to a landing in front of the house in less than two minutes. Stumbling through the door, I ignored everyone and ran straight down the hall to the room Iggy had been sleeping in. To my horror, it was empty – even the bed was gone.

Panic raced through my mind, and my immediate thought was – _Aaron wanted him gone. _Could he have woken up, and ordered that Iggy be thrown out, or worse?

_Calm down_, I told myself, my hands clenching into fists as I stormed back down the hall, and faced everyone's incredulous stares as I demanded, "Where's Iggy?"

Max, who was glaring at me with an anxious glint in her eyes opened her mouth to answer, but she was cut off by hysteric shouting coming from somewhere beneath our feet.

"_I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, just leave me alone, I didn't mean to – Fang!"_

Arabel must have seen the horror on my face, because she pointed to a door that I hadn't noticed before. "He's down there," she said with her mouth set in a grim line, "in the basement."

_Basement_. For a moment, all I could think of was a stone cold room, made entirely out of concrete, chains trailing from the walls and stains on the floor… I repressed a shudder, and wondered what the heck they were thinking in putting him down there; I knew that I would have a hard time walking into a room even remotely like _that_ again. But I had to help Iggy…

I didn't hesitate, throwing the door open and taking the steps down two at a time, and my ears were instantly confronted with an onslaught of screaming and sobbing. _Oh jeez, Iggy_…

Reaching the end of the stairs, I was met by the sight of Iggy, sitting on the floor in a corner of the basement, screaming like he was in an unbearable amount of pain, hands clamped over his ears and clawing at them, tears slipping from his eyes that were shut tight. I also saw that Amber was there, begging him to calm down and choking out another sob. "Iggy… it's okay, no one's hurting you –"

"No, stop!" He shouted, flinching violently. _"Fang!"_

I rushed to Iggy's side, prying his hands away from his ears and pinning them above his head with one hand, the other shaking his shoulders. "Iggy!" I shouted over his terrified screams, "Snap out of it!"

"No, no," he whimpered, tears slipping down his face and beads of crimson blood surfacing through the self-inflicted cuts around his ears. "I-I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean to…" And now he was sobbing full-force, turning his head so his face was hidden from me. "I never w-wanted you to d-die," he choked out, and I was so surprised by this statement that my grip on his wrists loosened, and he pulled away to burry his head in his hands. His shoulders shook as he released his pain in wave after wave of tears, sobbing heavily and saying, "I'm a murderer, I'm a murderer…"

I rocked back on my heels, shocked. What the heck was he talking about? "Iggy…" I tried to comfort him somehow, but when I placed a hand on his shoulder he flinched away as if the touch had burned him.

"He was t-talking about you," Amber said shakily, and I turned to see her with arms wrapped around her skinny chest, hugging herself as she tried to regain control over her tears. She was obviously pretty shaken over the ordeal, and I wondered if she would be okay. "He kept… saying your name, when you were gone, and apologizing."

I nodded, still not understanding why Iggy was acting this way. "Thanks," I said quietly, "for… watching him. I can handle this, if you want to go upstairs."

Amber looked grateful for the offer, rubbing her sleeve across her eyes and mumbling an apology as she quickly climbed the stairs. I turned back to Iggy, watching him helplessly as he continued to cry into his hands. As usual, I had absolutely no idea what to do, when he refused to let me approach him and wouldn't give me a straight answer if I asked what was wrong. I tried not to look at all this as hopeless, but my promise to bring him back was looking more and more bleak by the minute.

"Iggy… Ig, please," I said, pleading for a reaction, some acknowledgment besides fear. "I know you're in there somewhere, please. I can't… I can't lose you." My voice broke, my bottom lip quivering and my throat starting to close up, but I refused the tears that threatened to flow; I didn't want to cry anymore. "You are all I have left, the rest of the flock hates me… heck, they don't even remember me. Please, Iggy, just tell me what's wrong so I can bring you back. I can't take this anymore."

Finally, Iggy looked up, face flushed and blind eyes tinged with red. Sniffling, he said, "You want to know what's wrong? I killed you. I killed you, and now you're dead."

Shocked by the blunt statement, I was about to question him again, but then it suddenly all clicked in my brain – _of course_.

It all made sense now. Right before I blacked out in that horrible white room, I'd seen Iggy get pushed, and he fell, hitting his head hard against the wall. He must have passed out, and missed the part when Ari had rescued me from the flames… oh, jeez. He thought I'd died, and as a result, he… went insane. Gosh, my poor brother…

"You're dead," Iggy continued, dropping his head into his hands again, shaking. "I know it's all my fault, I'm sorry… you would be better off just k-killing me…"

I didn't know what to say. What could I possibly tell him? In his insane state he was convinced that I was dead, and coming back to haunt him in vengeance or something – at this point, was there anything I could say to make him believe otherwise?

"Iggy, no," I persisted. "I'm not dead, Ari saved me…"

"You're dead!" Iggy yelled, shaking hands clenching fists of his hair, pulling his knees closer to him as he cowered away from me. "You're dead, and I'm just imagining you, you and that girl and the bed… not real, none of it's real, not real not real not real…"

"Ig…" Not knowing what to say, I was devastated. Iggy really believed all this, and instead of things getting better, I seemed to only be making matters worse. This wasn't my brother, this was a stranger… and if I couldn't get Iggy back, well… my life was pretty much over.

No. I couldn't lose him. I had to try.

I reached forward and gripped Iggy's shoulders, which got him to stop mumbling immediately – instead, he looked up at me in fear. "Ig, listen to me," I said, and for once he was completely silent. Squeezing his shoulders, I said slowly, "I'm. Not. Dead."

"I don't believe you," Iggy said quietly, almost in a whisper. "You keep saying that, but –"

And, quite suddenly, Iggy flinched and let out a small whimpering noise, his shoulders hunching and head bowing slightly, a look of absolute terror coming over him. I was worried that I had done something to upset him, but he began talking like I wasn't even there. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… please, don't… Fang…"

* * *

_You deserve everything's that happened to you, Iggy. I'm dead, and it's no one's fault but yours… murderer. _

I didn't understand – nothing made sense. Here was Fang, telling me that he was definitely _not_ dead, and then he turned around and blamed me for his death. Which was it? Either way, the guilt was eating me alive. The pain was so real, like a knife stabbing and twisting, striking every nerve. All the while, Fang kept talking to me, the confusing words interrupting and overlapping, everything being said at once. It was all so loud; I just wanted the voices to stop…

"Iggy? Are you okay?"

_You killed me_.

"What's wrong?"

_You'll never be worth anything._

"Iggy, talk to me!"

_Disgusting, dirty –_

"Snap out of it!"

_You don't deserve to live._

"Ig, please –"

_You don't deserve to die._

"Iggy!"

He was shaking me by my shoulders, but I honestly didn't know what more he wanted from me. All this yelling was torment enough, I just wanted my head to be clear for once – but really, wasn't this just what I deserved? I killed my own brother, my best friend…

_No one wants you. No one loves you. You should never have been born._

"I know," I whispered wretchedly, putting my hands up to cover my ears again, desperate for silence. "I know, I know. Please… just leave me alone, please."

The hands released my shoulders and, after a moment of hesitation, reached up to grip my wrists, gently pulling my hands away from my ears. I flinched, but relaxed slightly when the voice that tormented me in my head finally died away.

"Iggy…"

I didn't know what to believe, and the unwavering trust I once held in Fang had become completely twisted, divided, and shattered. I mean… he wasn't even _alive_, but still he was there, somehow, so real… was there an end to this confusion? This wasn't my brother; this was a stranger…

"Iggy," Fang repeated cautiously, still holding onto my wrists. "Who was talking to you just now?"

Why would he ask a question like that? Was it some kind of test? Obediently, I answered, "You were." Wasn't it obvious?

"What did I say, Ig?" He asked softly, and I bit my lip. What was the point of this? I didn't want to answer his questions, but it was clearly much better than his inescapable, taunting voice in my head, so I complied, hiding my eyes behind strawberry bangs. "You said that I'm worthless. And I shouldn't have been born." Tears welled up in my eyes again, as the sting of these words and memories of Fang all came rushing back. Had he always thought that about me? Of course, I'd known those things for as long as I could remember, but it was painful to hear from my best friend, who I really believed had cared about me just as much as I did for him.

I heard Fang sigh, and say quietly, "I'm going to kill him."

"Who?" I dared to ask, looking up blindly through my bangs.

"Gunther-Hagen," he replied in a low growl, and I couldn't help but let out a whimper; horrible memories distorted by fear flashed through my mind, and I began to shake. He would be coming back soon, and I would be helpless against him, as always. No, no, I didn't want this, not again. No, no, no, no, no…

"Iggy, calm down," Fang said. "It's okay, everything's okay."

"No," I said shakily, "he's going to come back, he's going to h-hurt me…"

"Ig, you're safe," Fang assured me. "You're not at the lab anymore, you're safe. I promise, I'll _never_ let him hurt you again."

And then, I wanted nothing more than to believe him, for him to be alive and be my brother again. He was my best friend, and I missed him like heck. This was the Fang I knew – but how long would it take for him to dissolve into that other, hateful voice, the one that seeped words like poison through my head? I just wished everything could go back to how it was, to being normal – the world was so confusing now, so complicated, and there was always fear, never peace, never rest. Fang was right – I would have been better off never being born. It's not like anyone would care if I were gone, right?

Suddenly, there was the sound of a door opening, and terror canceled out all thoughts except, _it's him. He's back, and now he's going to touch me…_

I was curling up on the floor and trembling, and when Fang rested a consoling hand on my shoulder, I cried out and flinched back even closer to the wall, shuddering at the memory of _his_ cold, rough hands, gripping my shoulder one night and whispering in my ear, _"You'd better be a good boy, and behave"_.

"Fang," called a tentative voice, and I exhaled a breath of relief. It was only a girl, the same one as before – she must be in my imagination then, if she was calling for Fang. I wonder where she came from? "It's Aaron," the girl continued, "he woke up… he wants to talk to you."

* * *

I sat on the couch with Max sprawled beside me, waiting for Fang to come up from the basement so we could _talk_. To put it simply, I was furious – I still couldn't believe that he just attacked me, all because of a stupid little thing that I said. Honestly, it was the truth, and what he did was completely uncalled for. I mean, who did that guy think he was? _I_ was alpha, Max and I, we were the leaders – the rest were supposed to listen and obey, including Fang, no matter how high and mighty he made himself up to be. Well, I was going to make sure he knew his place from now on.

After several minutes, the basement door opened and Amber emerged from the stairs, Fang following after her with a weary, miserable expression – nothing like when he and I were arguing. No, this had to be from visiting Iggy… well, I'm sure I would look like that too if I'd just had a conversation with my insane brother.

Sending Max a quick glance before looking at me through his dark bangs, Fang said, "You wanted to talk with me?" I lifted my chin up slightly, my jaw set in anger.

"Fang, I understand you're defensive of Iggy," I began, "but you had no right to overreact like that. All I was saying was –"

"Yeah, I know what you said, Aaron," Fang interrupted, his gaze like ice. "You said it would have been better if we had just left Iggy at the lab. Do you have any idea what Gunther-Hagen did to him?"

"Oh, I know perfectly well what he did, Fang," I said, not bothering to conceal my sneer of disgust. "Please, no need to remind me."

Fang's expression became fierce. "What the heck is your problem, Aaron?" He demanded furiously. "Why do you have to discriminate people like that, especially Iggy? What happened_ wasn't his fault!"_

"I'm sure he could have stopped it, having mutant super-strength and all," I snarled, my anger rising. "Who knows – maybe he liked it too much."

"You weren't the one that had to hear him screaming for hours!" Fang roared, his last nerve having snapped. "How would you feel, if it was someone in your family? Would you even _care?"_

Those words were like a bullet to my chest. For a moment, I was just eight years old again, trapped behind the cold metal bars of a cage, watching as my sister, my best friend was violated and used by that man… and there was blood, so much blood, as the Erasers tore her to pieces right in front of me, splattering over the walls and the front of my shirt… the sound of her screaming was still fresh in my mind.

Yes, I knew exactly what Fang had went through, and what I was really feeling behind the mask of disgust was fear of reliving those memories, pushed back down by cold indifference to Iggy's suffering. If I could ignore it, I didn't have to endure it again, so I simply followed Max's example of revulsion; and as long as it worked in keeping that night out of my mind, I would continue the act.

Glaring at Fang, I said, "Of course I would – but that's not really the issue right now, is it?"

"I don't know, Aaron," Fang said in a voice of forced calm, his frustration still evident in the way his clenched hands shook. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"This," I snapped, pulling up my shirt and pointing at the purple, black and yellow blotches that dotted my skin. "Thanks to you, two of my ribs are broken, and Jeb nearly had to give my forehead stitches because of all the times you punched it. You're lucky I didn't get a concussion!"

"I'm sorry I messed up your face," Fang apologized with a hint of sarcasm, and then added with a barely audible mumble, "But I don't think Max will have a problem kissing it anyways, so no worries."

Apparently Max had heard, and she blushed scarlet, giving Fang a furious look. "What's your problem, Fang? Since when did it become your business who I kiss?" She demanded, and Fang flinched, a wounded expression appearing in his eyes. Shaking his head and looking down at the floor, he remained silent.

"Well then," I continued, ignoring the little kissing comment (which I would definitely talk to Max about later), "I guess if you can promise to keep yourself under control for now on, you can go back to babysitting Iggy in the basement – by the way, how's that coming along? Any luck?"

Fang looked up at me and replied, "I was able to figure out what the problem is."

"Yeah?" I said, surprised. I honestly didn't think Fang would get anything out of Iggy.

Fang nodded. "He hears voices," he informed my grimly. "… My voice. He thought that I died when Ari helped me escape from the lab, and now he thinks that I'm some kind of ghost, or something."

Well. That was certainly… interesting. A schizophrenic, huh? "Isn't there medicine for that – hearing voices?"

"Yeah," Amber answered quietly. "Thorazine. I don't know if it would cure him, but it would probably help; that is, if we can get our hands on some."

"I could probably fly to the nearest town and pick some up," Fang said, "but I want to stay here with Iggy until he's a little more… stable. Now, can I go, Aaron? I don't want to leave him alone for too long."

"Yeah," I replied, heaving a sigh, and then looked over at Max as Fang retreated back to the basement.

"So… about that kiss," I began, and Max blushed again.

"I… uh, well, I was just so worried about you, and in the heat of the moment, I just…."

I chuckled. "You're cute when you babble like that," I told her, and she giggled.

I heard the basement door slam loudly, and I looked up to see Amber sending me an accusing glare.

"What?" I asked exasperatedly.

* * *

**Pssh. Aaron is so clueless. **

**Anyway, hoped you liked that chapter. Oh, and the line in the Iggy POV, when he remembered Gunther-Hagen whispering, "be a good boy, and behave" was taken from an episode of Law and Order I watched on YouTube the other night ("Behave", with Jennifer Love Hewitt – absolutely amazing performance by her, by the way, I seriously got teary-eyed in a couple parts). **

**Also, I discovered another band today (I know, I know) – Tokio Hotel, a German band with the hottest lead singer alive ****(at least when he was younger, like, mid/late teens - now he just looks weird when he does the live shows, but I still luff him).** Call me a freak, but I think guys who wear eyeliner (if they can pull it off) are pretty hot, and Bill has the most freaking amazing hair I've ever seen on a boy. Yup, I think I've officially hit the top of the weirdness scale. XD

**Please review! **


	41. Danger Lurking

**Hey guys. Once again, I apologize for the lateness – my mind's really been preoccupied by other things, and it's really hard for me to write if I'm not focused (if you didn't know already, I'm a notorious scatterbrain). Lame excuse, I know, but if I keep on brainstorming like this, I might just accomplish my dream of getting published. :D**

**Anyway, here are the POVs: Iggy, Fang, and then Iggy II (thought I forgot about him, didn't you?). ;D**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 41 – Danger Lurking ~_

_

* * *

_

The voice was back, whispering those scathing words to me. I was terrified, but mostly just guilty and full of remorse for the mistakes I'd made; for killing him. If I'd never been so naïve and careless to get myself captured, he'd have never come to save me, and… and he would still be alive. He wouldn't be saying these things…

_You let me die, Iggy. You let them kill me, after everything that I did for you. I thought we were supposed to be friends!_

"We are," I said quietly, curling up on the floor under the force of my guilt. "We're brothers. I never wanted this to happen, I'm sorry…"

_Oh, right, you're sorry, _he said in a mocking voice. _Well, guess what, Iggy? Sorry desn't bring people back to life!_

"Iggy…"

His other voice was there too, falsely reassuring and full of concern. It might have been a source of comfort amid all the pain and confusion, if I knew that I could trust this other side of Fang any more then the vengeful, abusive one. But I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

_I hate you, Iggy._

"No…" I muttered, the tears in my eyes threatening to fall, but I refused to show anymore weakness. I was so tired, drained physically and emotionally to the point where I wondered if it wouldn't be better to just fall asleep and never wake up…

"What's wrong, Iggy?" he asked, once again questioning the obvious. I let out a shuddering sigh, wrapping my arms around my knees and resting my chin on them, surprised to feel the fabric of jeans there. I can't believe I hadn't noticed them before; come to think of it, I had a shirt too. Was I really that out of it? Maybe there were still some of those pain meds in my system… if that was true, then why weren't they helping?

"I just… I just want it to stop," I answered shakily. "Everything. I just want the voices to stop."

"Okay, Ig," he said softly, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'll try to make them stop. I'll be back soon, alright?"

* * *

I left the basement, thinking about what it must be like to be Iggy right now. To have voices in your head constantly… it must be heck for him. I knew that I couldn't afford to wait any longer to get Iggy the medecine he needed, that would supposedly make him better; he needed help now.

"I'm going out," I announced, already stepping out the front door. Not waitning for an answer, I spread my wings and took off, searching for any sign of civilization as I rose above the surrounding trees.

I had to find the nearest town – Iggy was depending on me.

* * *

"Fang!" the man with the white coat and glasses shouted after the dark figure vanishing into the night sky. Oh, great – how many times was he going to run off like this? What about Iggy - who was going to look after him?

The man sighed as he lost sight of Fang, turning back to the rest of us with his usual weary expression and saying, "Someone needs to go after him. Someone with wings."

All eyes were on the flock, and an awkward silence took place for several moments until Max finally spoke up. "Well, don't look at me," she snapped. "I'm not going after that jerk – let him get mauled by Erasers, for all I care."

"Well, someone has to go!" Amber said in frustration. "Do you see any of _us_ with wings?"

"I'll go."

I was surprised as anyone at the offer, and I looked down at the floor as everyone's gaze fell on me, my hands wringing nervously in my lap. "Well, I mean, I've got wings… we need him to watch Iggy, right?"

"Thank you," Jeb said gratefully. "Yes, you better get going – I'm sure Fang is looking for the nearest town, and we can't have anyone out in the open attracting attention. Gunther-Hagen's men could be scouring the country for us now."

That thought sent a shiver of fear down my spine, but I ignored it as I ran out the front door, pushing my wings out through the slits Jeb had cut in my shirt and lifting off effortlessly; I was elated to find myself getting better at the whole flying thing.

Soaring out over the treetops, I scanned the dark horizon for any sighn of Fang – unlike the original Iggy, I had exceptional eyesight, and I was able to spot his nearly imperceptible wings flapping silently ahead, the inky black feathers melting almost perfectly into the night air. _Nice try, Fang_, I thought, putting on an extra burst of speed to catch up with the other boy, coming in directly in front of him, cutting him off.

"What the heck?" I heard him say in surprise, fumbling in the sky to stop himself crashing into me. _"Iggy?"_

I rolled my eyes. "What do I have to do around here to make people stop calling me that?" I said irritably. "No, I'm not Iggy, but he's waiting for you in that house. You can't just leave him like that, I mean… someone has to watch him, and you're the only one that isn't terrified to do it, so…"

"I have to get him that medicine," Fang insisted. "Thorazine. It will help him get better."

I sighed. "Okay… but Jeb said not to go to any towns, we might attract attention, and Gunther-Hagen could be looking for us."

"I don't care," Fang persisted, and before I could stop him he had flown quickly past me, heading for the dim stretlights in the distance.

"Fang!" I called indignantly, groaning to myself in frustration as I raced through the air after him. Pulling up beside the determined teen, I shouted, "What if he catches you?"

"Then I'll be saved the trouble of finding him," he replied, cold eyes fixed on the town ahead. "I never got my revenge."

I thought about this, and after a moment said, "Let me go with you."

He sent an inquiring glance over in my direction, and I answered, "He threatened to kill me if I didn't do what he asked, and I'm tired of living every minute looking over my shoulder to make sure he hasn't sent his mutts after me."

Fang considered this, and for a few minutes we flew in silence. Then, "I guess all this is pretty confusing for you, huh?"

"Well, considering that there's a guy that is completely identical to me living in the basement, and the fact that I have _wings,_" I flapped them down hard for emphasis, "yeah, you could say that."

"Gunther-Hagen sure has a way of screwing with people's lives," Fang said with a hint of bitterness, and I nodded in agreement. _He can say that again._

Soon the little town was directly below us, and we dove in to land in the shadowed area behind one of the shops. I stumbled as my feet touched down on the pavement, and Fang reached out a hand to steady me before I fell.

"Thanks," I said gratefully. "I really need to work on the whole landing thing."

"No problem."

And then we were off to search for a pharmacy, or even a hospital that we could potentially "borrow" some Thorazine from - heck, I don't think Fang would have been against lifting some off of a gang of drug dealers, he just wanted to help his brother.

Again I felt that familiar hollow feeling, of being the shadow of someone else. I mean, Iggy's life obviously sucked - he was abused and broken and completely insane – but at least he had someone to always be there for him, someone he could call his family. Who did I have? A psychotic 'father' that was bent on tearing me limb from limb the next time he saw me. I could just _feel_ the love.

"Here," Fang said, interupting my thoughts, and he pointed out the small drug store across the street. "Let's pray they have it."

"Oh, you'd better pray, runts."

We immediately spun around, and my heart flooded with fear and dread as my eyes landed on the hulking Eraser that had appatently been right on our tail, sending a viscious, fanged grin down our necks. "Hey, birdies – won't the boss be exited to hear that we found you."

I saw Fang step forward to defend me and felt a clawed hand reaching from behind to place a damp, strong-smelling cloth over my face – the same was done to Fang as a dozen wolf-mutants surrounded us, barking laughter. The last thing I remember thinking before blacking out was, _he's found me. He's going to kill me…_

_

* * *

_

**I'm sorry guys, that chapter was pitifully short for my standards, but it fulfilled it's purpose – now the story is finally moving along and coming toward a close. Don't worry, I won't end it with everyone falling back into Gunther-Hagen's hands, but really, what was there to be accomplished in that little cabin? Hehe, I really am awful with the cliffies…**

**Please review! I give hugs to all my reviewers (and plot against those that are too lazy to bother even asking for an update – you people are just plain RUDE, you know that? Hope you're happy with yourselves…). XP**


	42. Please Stay

**Hello again, faithful readers (I'm surprised I have any left after the repeated lateness of the last few chapters). **

**Well, I have a couple announcements to make: LISTEN UP. There will NOT be a sequel to this story – didn't the 40+ chapters give you a clue? Face it people, there's only so much you can write about angsty mutants, and while I do love this story, I really want to get it finished so there won't be any more distractions from my original story. So yeah, there will probably only be about ten more chapters, tops. –sighs- Ending a story really is bitter-sweet. **

**Also, for those of you that don't know, the new MR book ANGEL is coming out on Valentines Day (I had it pre-ordered on Amazon for my birthday). So exited, I've waited months for this – everyone cross your fingers for some good Iggy angst (and I'm praying Fang won't come back – muwahaha)!**

**Okay, all that aside, the POVs go as follows: Fang, Amber, and then Iggy. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 42 – Please Stay ~_

_

* * *

_

Awareness came back to me with a horrible pounding in the back of my head, coursing pain through my skull to the point of nausea. I was tempted to fall back into the numbing blackness, when memories of my last moments of consciousness all came flooding back – Erasers surrounding us, a damp cloth being pressed over my nose, mocking laughter ringing in my ears as I slumped to the pavement… We were captured. Again.

I shot awake, opening my eyes to see blinding whiteness surrounding me. Looking around, I saw that I was in a small empty room, walls floor and ceiling painted completely white. I expected to find Iggy's clone lying next to me, but he was nowhere in sight.

I groaned in anger and frustration – I was useless to Iggy now. How had Gunther-Hagen found us? There was no way he could have known we would be in that tiny town, unless…

_The clone. _Of course – how could I have been so _stupid? _He'd said it himself, that Gunther-Hagen planned to kill him if he didn't do what he asked; his solution was obvious. He'd led the Erasers straight to me, and maybe to the cabin as well.

I sighed, overwhelmed by hopelessness. Once again, I was under the mercy of Gunther-Hagen, and for all I knew, the rest could be just in the room next door. And, if Gunther-Hagen had Iggy, there was no doubt as to what he would do…

"No," I muttered, putting my head in my hands, clenching fists in my hair. I wanted to scream, I wanted to punch something – preferably Gunther-Hagen. What he'd done already was unforgivable, but hurting Iggy now, in this state… it was too much.

"I have to get out of here," I said out loud, and barely two seconds later, the door to my room swung open, revealing the man I hated most, dragging a very battered Iggy (or was it his clone?) behind him.

"Fang," the doctor greeted with horrible grin. "How delighted I am to see you again. Tell me, how is Igneous doing?"

Red-hot rage swept through me like wildfire, and in an instant I was on my feet, about to lunge for Gunther-Hagen's throat – and then I was immediately sent back onto the floor again as blinding pain raced through my veins, piercing agony striking every nerve. It was as if I were being burned by fire, only this time it was from the _inside_; I screamed, as the unbearable pain only got stronger. _Please make it stop, make me pass out, please please please make it stop, _I begged in my head, and finally, as if by the flip of a switch, the burning was gone.

Gunther-Hagen was chuckling.

"What do you think of my new toy?" he asked, and I looked up weakly to see him holding a small remote, grinning at the sight of me crumpled on the floor. "One push of this button, and that receiver around your neck will put you right back in your place."

What? I brought shaking hands up to my throat, and sure enough, there was a steel band placed around my neck – a _shock collar_. My anger flared at this degradation, and I was beyond frustrated at the fact that the man I'd vowed to kill had complete control over me. I couldn't step a toe out of line, or he would simply paralyze me with pain again. I felt so helpless – I _hated_ it.

"Well, now that we've clarified who is in charge here," Gunther-Hagen continued, "let's get down to business."

He shoved the clone into the room, who landed hard on the floor next to me, a wince of pain displayed on his bruised face. He was in terrible shape, ugly dark blotches decorating his pale skin and several cuts that appeared to be made by enormous claws raking over his shoulder, ripping his shirt to ribbons. His wings were out, one resting against his back and the other jutting out at an odd angle, a patch of feathers missing. I noticed that he also wore a metal collar around his neck.

His condition was proof that he hadn't been a traitor after all, which only gave me greater reason to be furious with Gunther-Hagen. Honestly, how many more innocent people would he abuse before he would be satisfied?

"What's this about?" I demanded angrily, glaring at Gunther-Hagen. He stared back icily.

"You took something that belongs to me," he replied. "And I will get it back."

"You will _never_ touch Iggy again!" I snarled, jumping to my feet and clenching my fists. I wanted to kill that man where he stood right then and there, but he fingered the button on the remote warningly, and I knew I had no choice but to wait for an opportunity when I could catch him off-guard; then I would put an end to all of this.

"One of you _will_ talk," he continued, "and you will tell me where Batchelder is keeping Igneous."

"Even if I knew where the heck Jeb took us," I said, "What makes you think I'd tell you?"

The doctor's eyes narrowed evilly. "You will tell me," he repeated, "or I'll just give my Erasers permission to play with that pathetic clone until he stops breathing."

I saw the clone's eyes widen with fear, but he said in a shaky voice, "Don't tell him anything Fang."

"Or maybe," Gunther-Hagen added angrily, "I will just finish the job myself."

Stepping forward, he reached down and took a handful of the clone's feathers, yanking him up by his broken wing – he cried out in pain, terror written plainly over his expression. I was furious, and without thinking I jumped to help him, punching Gunther-Hagen in the face; in return I received a terrible shock that arched through my entire body, and I fell to the floor screaming again.

"Leave him alone!" I heard through the waves of agony, and the pain cut off just as it got to its highest level. I lay there gasping, and I looked up to see that the clone had tackled Gunther-Hagen to the ground, and was punching him with all his artificial bird-kid strength. The remote lay on the ground several feet away.

_Yes!_ I thought triumphantly, scrambling over to the remote. Making a mental note to give the clone my deepest gratitude for this later, I shoved the remote in my pocket and joined him, wrapping my hands around the doctor's throat and squeezing hard.

As I was contemplating whether choking him or breaking his neck would be more painful, six or seven Erasers poured in through the door, pulling out their guns aiming them for the clone and I.

"Release the doctor, now!" one of them barked, his gun making a deadly _click _as the safety was turned off.

_Over my dead body_, I thought, tightening my grip dangerously around Gunther-Hagen's neck, feeling a strange euphoria at seeing his eyes roll back in his skull, chocked gurgling sounds escaping his throat as the life was squeezed out of him.

"This is payback!" I screamed in his face, ignoring the Erasers surrounding us. "This is for ruining my brother's life!"

_Bang_.

I probably would have died if the clone hadn't pushed me out of the way. The bullet grazed my shoulder, just a stinging pain compared to the lethal affect it would have had imbedded in my skull. Unfortunately I was forced to release Gunther-Hagen's throat as I was shoved to the side, and the Erasers grabbed me by the arms, restraining the clone as well.

Gunther-Hagen sat up, coughing and gasping for air. I stared at him with hate, infuriated that my prime opportunity to put the monster's rain of terror to an end had been a failure. I was so close to revenge, I could just taste it – and then it was literally ripped right out of my hands. If only I'd had just a little more time…

"You," the doctor said hoarsely, pointing a shaking finger at the clone, his eyes narrowed with fury. "I created you. I gave you that body, I gave you your _life_ – and yet you betray me like this."

The clone glared back at him, this time without fear. "You made a mistake in showing me those clips," he said darkly. "I saw what you did to him. And technically, since I'm his clone, you didn't give me anything – he is the reason I'm alive, and you are the reason I don't really want to be. So I thought, what better way to settle this then to get revenge for the both of us?"

I was surprised – I had no idea he cared for Iggy. Of course, in a way he _was_ Iggy, but still… I think I'd be a little more bitter if I were someone's perfect copy, and got treated like crap for it. I had to admit, this clone was really a selfless, genuinely good person; I liked him a lot, and already considered him a friend.

But it looked like he was in trouble. Gunther-Hagen had gotten to his feet, and with an a cold glare directed at the clone, he said to the Erasers restraining him, "Take him downstairs to the cells. I think it's time I taught our little traitor here a lesson."

* * *

"Hey, Iggy. It's just me, it's alright - you don't have to be scared."

Iggy sat in the corner of the basement, staring fearfully at the space a couple inches above my head. I had volunteered to look after him until Fang came back, and who knew how long _that_ would take – the clone guy had left to find him _hours_ ago. I was worried for them of course, but I had no choice but to shift the anxiety to the back of my mind and focus on Iggy – he needed someone now more than ever, and that "someone" might as well be me.

"Iggy, do you remember me?" I asked softly, kneeling down in front of him as he continued to shake.

No reaction.

"I'm Amber," I told him. He looked so helpless and afraid, it took all my restraint not to hold his hand – the last time I'd done that, he'd freaked out and burst into tears, and it had taken nearly an hour to calm him down and then start over. It was shocking how fragile his mind was right now – just the tiniest things set him off, and it seemed like the harder I tried to make him comfortable, the more upset he became. I just couldn't see how so much damage could be done to a person in so little time… Gunther-Hagen must have really put work into breaking him like this.

_That monster_, I thought resentfully, watching the remnants of a shattered soul in front of me. How could anyone be so cruel? How could anyone want _this_ for someone else?

I kept talking to him, about nothing and everything – I told him all that had been going on, not sure how much he was really taking in, but he seemed to relax considerably. He didn't say anything, but his trembling died, and he eventually let me scoot closer to him. It was nice… well, as nice as talking to your insane crush could be.

When I was finished filling him in on the whole miserable story, we just sat there in silence for a few moments. And then…

"Thank you."

He said it in a whisper, soft and full of gratitude. I was startled; he turned to face me and, shockingly enough, he laid his head on my shoulder, letting out a breath of relief. "Thank you. Thank you."

I couldn't believe this – before, he wouldn't let me get near him, much less touch him – and now he was reaching out, _thanking_ me. I didn't dare move a muscle, I couldn't even breathe – he could just as easily snap again, and then I would be in trouble.

"Iggy…" I said cautiously, my voice quivering with fear. Being in such close proximity with an insane person, however gentle or harmless in sanity… well, there was no telling what he would do know. Just like Aaron said…

"Thank you," he repeated quietly.

"For what, Iggy?" I dared to ask, continuing to hold my breath.

"You make the voices go away," he answered, his shoulders slumping as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from them. "When you talk… they don't bother me."

* * *

Silence.

Nothing had ever sounded better. Fang was just gone, both of them (if that made any sense), and there was only this girl talking to me… her purring voice was gentle, comforting; I hung onto every word, listening to her story. I might have believed it; if I weren't positive that Fang was dead.

After that, she stayed for hours. She just talked about random things – most of the time I wasn't really listening to what she said, but just her voice was enough to drive his away. I continued to rest my head on her shoulder, realizing for the first time in what felt like years how exhausted I was. In fact, I was discovering a lot of things since the girl began talking – that there were no chains around my wrists, that I was absolutely starving, and also in serious need of a bathroom. Seriously, how distracted had I been to ignore these basic facts? But I didn't dare move, because if she left, maybe he would be back… and I would be in the dark again, confusion, pain…

No. I would never go back to that, not again.

_Please stay_, I begged her in my mind, letting my sightless eyes drift closed, her melodic words carrying me off to sleep. I couldn't lose her – she was the only link to sanity I had left.

* * *

**Yay! Another chappie done, not late this time! :D**

**Well, hope you guys liked it – tell me what you think about Fang and Iggy II (probably annoyed that they're back where they started, but it had to be done, trust me!), and Iggy's (slowly developing) relationship with Amber. Also, I've had a couple people tell me that Amber/'anything to do with Ig having a girlfriend' annoyed them, and I would really liked to know what all of you think. Seriously guys, this is NOT primarily a romance fic, by ANY means (believe me, I hate that too), I just added in a tiny bit to round out the plot.**

**So yeah, you know what to do – review, please!**


	43. Belief

**Here you go guys, chapter 43. I hope you're getting tired of insane Iggy, 'cause he's making steady progress. Yay! But what will happen to his clone and Fang? Suspense!**

**POVs: Amber, Iggy, and then Fang. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 43 – Belief ~_

_

* * *

_

We were making progress.

It had been nearly a week since Fang's disappearance, with still no sign of return. But, despite that loss, we were slowly regaining something else – Iggy's sanity was building every day, piece by broken piece.

"Breakfast, Ig," I called from the staircase as I descended to the basement with a plateful of slightly burnt eggs. Iggy, who sat on the bed in the middle of the room, looked up and greeted me with a small smile.

"Thanks," he said quietly as I handed him the plate and sat down next to him. Noticing his bony wrist as he picked up his fork, I wished that I could have given him more, but we had to make the food last – we didn't want to send Max for groceries too often and possibly catch the attention of Gunther-Hagen's search dogs. _Like Fang and that clone…_

No, I couldn't think about that. I just had to take this one moment at a time; I had to focus on the present. And right now, the present issue was Iggy.

He didn't talk much anymore. In fact, he usually only managed a few soft-spoken words when I was around, and was completely silent on the few occasions that he got other visitors. It didn't seem to be more attributes of mental instability, but rather that he just didn't feel like speaking; I couldn't blame him, after everything that he had went through. I just hoped that, like the unpredictable outbursts of insanity, it wouldn't last.

"Have the voices been bothering you again?" I asked him as he handed his empty plate back to me. He frowned, his blind eyes haunted; he nodded.

I reached over and rubbed his shoulder consolingly, letting out a sympathetic sigh. It was always the same story – every time I left him for the night, "Fang" would torment him in nightmares and harass him all morning until I appeared with his breakfast. At least he didn't need me to talk anymore; now I could just get away with merely offering my presence to keep the voices out of his head. It was slow work, but hopefully his schizophrenic symptoms would eventually disappear entirely.

So, for the rest of the morning I kept up a one-sided conversation while Iggy listened, occasionally nodding and smiling if I said something funny. I hoped to make him laugh once, but there was a constant sad glaze over his expression that never seemed to leave him, the effects of a burden of memories that he now had to carry. I tried to imagine what could be going through his head to make his shoulders hunch and a shadow pass over his eyes that way, but the possibilities were horror in abundance; I didn't like to think about it, and I knew that it was ten times harder on him to remember those past weeks. Sure, his insanity may be curable, but those memories would probably torture him for the rest of his life.

Eventually, when I was at a loss for anything else to say, Iggy broke the silence in that new quiet, timid way of his. "Will you tell me what happened again, Amber?"

I was startled. I had retold the whole story to him several times following that first day, but he'd never really believed me. Now, there was a desperate, pleading look in his eyes, as if he truly wanted to understand this time. If he could finally acknowledge Fang's survival… maybe that unwelcome voice would desert his head once and for all.

"Yeah," I replied. "Yeah, of course."

And so I told him. I tried to go into greater detail where Fang's story was concerned, explaining how he'd escaped with Ari and met up with us, and then telling Iggy how we had rescued him and brought him here… wherever "here" was. I told him about the rest of the flock losing their memories, and that he had a clone, who was currently off with Fang somewhere and still hadn't returned.

Iggy was silent the entire time. He didn't interrupt me, didn't even nod; he merely concentrated and listened. I knew this was important to him, now that he was finally stable enough mentally to consider the fact that Fang was alive. Or at least… was. There was no telling where he was now, or if he was okay.

_Please come back_, I begged internally_. Iggy needs you_.

Iggy looked up at me as I finished, his nearly colorless blue eyes locking on mine exactly in that eerie way of his. "Thank you," he said, just as he had the first time he'd heard the missing pieces of the story from me. Only this time, there was something added to the relief in his eyes, something so far out of reach for what seemed like centuries. Something like joy.

"I think… I believe you now."

And that's when I threw my arms around him and hugged him like I would never let go, laughing with ecstatic triumph.

I had finally done it. I had brought Iggy's sanity back; just like I promised I would.

So, what do you have to say to me now, Max?

* * *

I didn't know what to think, what to feel; all I knew was that my head was clearer and quieter than it had been in a long, long time.

Fang was alive. Those words were more precious to me than any others had ever been. They meant hope; they meant clarity. Fang was alive, and my assumptions that he had died had led me to more grief and suffering than I had ever endured, but it had all been in my head. All those poisonous words and painful confrontations were nothing more than illusions, products of hurting way too much for way to long. All that time, it had been my own mind that was my worst enemy, my greatest fear.

Fang was alive.

Amber, my savior, had her arms wrapped tightly around my neck; her laughter was like music to my ears, which most recently had heard nothing but scalding, nonexistent insults and imaginary lies. But, right now, this moment, felt more real than anything I could remember. I clung to it for dear life, desperately, greedily. I hadn't felt happiness like this in eons; not since that other lifetime, back when everything was simple, back when life wasn't one big heartbreak. This girl made me forget. She made me feel.

And I was loving every minute of it.

My arms had found their way around Amber's waist, and I was hugging her back as we laughed helplessly together. For once, I didn't think about Gunther-Hagen, or Fang, or all the pain I had been through; I didn't have to worry about that now. It could wait, for just a little longer. In that moment, I was just content with _not hurting. _

It was the best feeling in the world.

* * *

The clone had been gone for days. In a cell. With Gunther-Hagen.

Okay, I won't lie – I was scared out of my mind for the guy. I had seen first hand what that man could do, the damage he could have on anyone under his control. I couldn't imagine the unthinkable happening to the clone, so like Iggy, and yet different in some ways. More… innocent. If Gunther-Hagen dared touch him…

I waited hours in silence, worried and starving. No one had come for me since the day we arrived, and I hadn't gotten any food, no water. I hadn't seen anything but the white walls of the room in days (it was empty except for a single plastic bucket, which I admittedly used in a time of weakness). There was nothing to do but wait anxiously for the clone's return.

After several incomprehensively long hours of this, the agonizing waiting game finally came to an abrupt halt, as the door was suddenly opened and the clone thrust unceremoniously inside; he fell to the floor as the door quickly shut behind him.

My heart sank when I saw the condition he was in. Physically, he looked better than when he was dragged away – his shoulder was bandaged and probably nearly healed, his wing wrapped up to a splint and folded comfortably against him – but I saw the way he was trembling almost imperceptibly, noticed the dull, haunted look in his normally bright eyes. Had Gunther-Hagen really been cruel enough to…?

I approached him cautiously, kneeling down at his side and meeting his dead gaze. "Hey," I said uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

He managed a pained smile, which didn't convince me at all. "Of course," he replied evenly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

His shaking had gotten worse.

I figured, if he was anything like Iggy, there was one easy way to determine what had happened and possibly confirm my fears. I reached out and placed a hand on his knee. He flinched and scrambled back, yelping a terrified "No!"

Instantly, I felt angry; angry with Gunther-Hagen, for hurting him like this. It was obvious what had happened to the clone. Letting my sympathy get some air, I looked at him and said sincerely, "I'm sorry." What more could I say?

He knew that I wasn't just talking about me scaring him; his face flushed red, and he looked down, allowing his long strawberry bangs to hide his eyes, the same strategy Iggy used so many times to conceal emotion. "I… I don't know what you're talking about."

Right. "I lived with Iggy for weeks in one of those cells," I told him. "I know what he did to you. I've seen it."

The clone was shaking his head in denial, hands and bottom lip quivering dangerously. "No… you don't know. You don't know anything. He… he d-didn't…"

And then he was crying, tears slipping down his cheeks and landing on his jeans with quiet pattering sounds; his shaking hands clenched into fists, knuckles white as he tried to regain control of himself. But he didn't have to – I knew. I knew this all too well.

"Hey," I said softly, feeling horribly sad for the clone and even more outraged at Gunther-Hagen for causing this. "It's okay. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"I'm n-not _embarrassed," _he said, putting his head in his hands. "I'm… I'm disgusting. Why don't you hate me?"

I was stunned. He was asking me why I didn't _hate_ him, for something he wasn't responsible for? He needed help, not to be rejected by the only friend he knew. Why would he even think that? Hadn't I told him that it was okay? Hadn't I seen my brother suffer the same thing?

"Because it wasn't your fault," I replied indignantly, trying to catch his eyes, but he refused to look at me. I sighed. "You're not disgusting," I told him. "Gunther-Hagen, certainly, but not you. What happened was out of your control. You've done nothing wrong."

"You're saying I'm perfectly innocent?" He said shakily. "Like nothing ever happened? Well, it did. It happened over and over again. How can you say I'm not disgusting? I'm worthless. I always was."

"Listen," I said, "I'm not saying it didn't happen - I'm saying that you weren't responsible for it, and you don't deserve to suffer over it anymore than you have to by pointing the blame at yourself. The only one you should be mad at is Gunther-Hagen."

The clone flinched at the doctor's name, but he finally nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly. "It's just… I can't help it. Whenever I think about it, I just feel so _filthy_." He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs, a miserable look in his eyes. "I hate it. I _hate_ it."

I hesitated, then laid a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. He flinched again, but eventually accepted that I wasn't going to hurt him, and he seemed grateful for some friendly contact. "Sorry," he said after a few moments. "I… I don't mean to tell you all this so you'll feel sorry for me. The last thing I want is sympathy."

"I figured," I said with a small smile. "Iggy's the same way."

The clone frowned. "Everyone really seems to like comparing me to him," he said, his eyes downcast. "It's like I don't exist individually."

I considered this, and realized that he was right; before I left, everyone seemed to ignore him. He was just "the clone". Nobody treated him like his own person - heck, they hardly treated him _human_. I felt really bad for him.

So I got an idea.

"How would you like a name?" I asked him, hoping to get his mind off what had happened and cheer him up.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Like, my own, actual name? Not 'Iggy II' or 'clone' or 'hey you'?"

I smirked. "Yeah. Got any ideas?"

He thought about it for a minute, and then suggested, "How 'bout 'Icarus'? You know, like in that Roman story."

"I think it was Greek," I corrected him, "but sure, that works. I kinda like it."

The clone – or "Icarus", beamed at me.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes, and then, to pass the time, I asked, "Didn't he have, like, mechanical wings?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Daedalus made them for him out of feathers and wax. I think he got too close to the sun when he was flying around, and the wax melted."

"So, he died?"

Icarus nodded.

* * *

**Yay! The clone finally has a name! I kinda like it, myself. **

**So, I have **_**Angel **_**– and, let me just tell you all, it exceeded my expectations AND my hopes. There is regrettably no Iggy angst, but definitely more Iggy in general than in the last few books. And he's hi-larious. And there's this cool new guy named Ratchet… but I won't tell you anything else, you'll just have to read it for yourselves. ;)**

**Please review! You know I love all you awesome reviewers! You guys totally make my day. :D**


	44. Dispute and Departure

**Well guys, let me just say, it's nice to be writing again – I've had one long, grueling week, with my overwhelming mountains of virtual schoolwork to catch up on, and taking care of my poor, sick mama. Ugh, I don't feel so hot either… of well. Here's chapter 44.**

**POVs: Iggy, Max, and then Aaron. Enjoy.**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 44 – Dispute and Departure ~_

_

* * *

_

Fresh air had never tasted so good. Sitting by the open window, feeling the sunlight graze my skin, hearing leaves rustling lazily in the breeze nearby… it was so surreal, after weeks upon weeks of confinement in assorted damp underground spaces, and enduring the imprisonment of my own mind. But now there was nothing to hold me back. Nothing, except…

I shivered when the room suddenly felt ten degrees colder, and subconsciously brought my legs up onto the chair I was sitting on, hunching over my knees. Snippets of memories flashed through my mind, and I was pulled into the nightmare that ruled my every waking moment once again…

_He was coming closer now, and his dark, humorless laugh filled my ears as his hands roamed over my skin… hours of pain, I screamed, and there was blood, so much…_

I tore myself from the memory with a shudder, hugging my knees closer and burying my face in my jeans. I just couldn't do this… I thought that when Amber told me happily that I was finally going upstairs today, that it would get better, but the memories didn't go away. How could they? I would never be able to forget, that was the hard, painful truth.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I got up form my seat at the window and reached out to where I thought the wall was – running my fingertips along the peeling painted surface and following Amber's directions in my head, I made my way to the bathroom, thinking that it would be nice to have a shower to maybe take my mind off… things.

I couldn't help but smirk a little, thinking how Max used to have to pay me ten bucks just to make me take a shower.

The amused expression was immediately replaced with a grimace. Max… she had lost all her memories, of the flock, of me… and now she refused to even talk to me, acting all stiff and uncomfortable whenever we were in the same room. What if… what if she hated me? I couldn't blame her….

But it still hurt to think about. I mean, Max was like my sister, one of my best friends; I'd grown up with her, had been with her from the very start, spent the first ten years of my life right across from her in a tiny dog crate. She'd been the one to teach me how to fight, to fly… no. It was too painful to even imagine.

I locked the bathroom door behind me, making a quick note of the placement of the towels and soaps and stuff, and turned on the shower, undressing and stepping under the water.

I felt better almost instantly, as if all the damaging memories and doubts were being rinsed away with the dirt and grime. I rested my palm on the shower wall to balance myself and stretched out my wings, reveling in the feeling of them just as I had right after regaining them with the serum. _His_ serum…

And, as soon as the memories were temporarily forgotten, they were all flooding back again; now, under the hot water, all I could remember was that night in the bathtub, nearly dying by my own hand, slicing into my wrist with a razor blade – right after the first time Gunther-Hagen…

I shut off the water immediately, my wet bangs dripping water into my blind eyes as I stood there, shaking. I couldn't do this… why couldn't my memories have been taken too?

I stood dripping in the shower for a couple more minutes, and then reached numbly for a towel, drying myself off and redressing. Stepping back out of the bathroom and onto the cold hardwood floors of the rest of the house, I was thinking about maybe finding Amber so I could listen to her talk, the only thing that really got my mind off of those past weeks, when I collided with someone else in the living room.

"Oh… sorry, I…" I mumbled apologetically, and then shut up. These days I was border-lining mute, hardly speaking except for a couple words here and there, when I had to. I just couldn't find it in myself to talk, after everything that had happened - another thing to add to my list of weaknesses. I really was pathetic…

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" a resentful voice said sharply, which I immediately recognized as Max's. Though she usually reserved this tone for Whitecoats and Erasers, or Jeb… people she really, really hated.

I took her words like a punch in the stomach, the realization that my initial assumption was true wrenching my heart in such an unbearable way that I thought for sure this couldn't possibly get any harder. Fang was gone, Max hated me, and the rest of the flock simply ignored me; I had no one left in my whole family that actually cared about me. It was all too much.

My useless eyes were trained on the floor, as I stood there with nothing left to say. Max huffed impatiently. "Well?" She demanded. "Are you going to move, or not? I don't have all day."

"Hey!" Amber said angrily, as she came into the room from the kitchen, where she'd been busy making dinner for everyone from our limited supply of groceries. "What's going on here? Leave Iggy alone!"

"How 'bout you tell _him _to leave _me _alone instead," Max snapped. "I told you he belongs downstairs. He was trying to attack me!"

"No he wasn't," Axel cut in defensively, "it was an accident. How do you expect the blind guy to avoid running into anyone in a house this crowded? I can barely walk in here!"

"He belongs in the basement," Max insisted. "I already told you, I refuse to have a _raped psycho_ living with me."

If her words were like a punch in the gut before, they were like a knife to the heart now. My face flushed scarlet, and I began to shake almost imperceptibly. I wanted to disappear, for the floor to just swallow me up and take me to a place where I still had a flock leader that cared about my well being even more then her own. The hatred and lack acceptance in her voice were impossible to miss; I was nothing more than a disgusting stranger to her now.

_I'm sorry, Max_, I thought, feeling the nearly tangible sting of her contemptuous glare piercing into me. _I'm sorry I couldn't be what you wanted_.

* * *

I glared at Iggy, his head bowed as he looked down at the floor, damp strawberry bangs hiding his eyes; but I didn't miss the way his cheeks burned bright red, or the way his hands were shaking slightly. Good. Maybe my words were getting through to him, and he'd retreat back down to the basement on his own. Whatever it took to get him out of here…

Before I knew it, both Amber and Ari were at Iggy's side, furious expressions on their faces. "How could you say something like that?" Ari demanded, shooting daggers at me. "What did he ever do to you?"

"Nothing, _yet,"_ I replied. "Who knows what he would do? As far as I'm concerned, he's still nuts."

"What if it were you?" Amber said fiercely. "What if all that had happened to _you_, and we all gave you crap like some deserving criminal?"

"Well, I'm not a _guy_, for starters," I retorted.

"What's the difference?" Ari asked, outraged. "Your saying that it wasn't horrible and wrong, just because he's not a _girl?"_

"Oh, it was definitely wrong," I said, the disgust evident in my voice. Did they not realize what he did, with a _man? _I couldn't believe that Amber hadn't second-guessed her little crush on the freak the moment she found out what had been going on in that place…

"You know what," Amber said angrily, "if you're going to be such a jerk, why don't you just leave?"

"Here's a better idea," I suggested in frustration, "maybe Iggy ought to be the one to leave – it's not like any of his family remembers him or wants him here. He's nothing but a high-maintenance waste of space."

In the moment of shocked silence that resulted by my words, you could have heard a pin drop, but I was startled to notice something else falling to the floor…

Iggy was crying; the salty tears rolling down his cheeks landed at his feet with nearly silent pattering sounds. His shoulders shook slightly, and he brought a hand up to rub his eyes furiously, but the tears just kept coming.

"Iggy…?" I said uncertainly, totally stunned by his reaction. He didn't make a sound, not a sob or a response, and I found everyone in the room staring at me accusingly. "I… look, I didn't know he was going to _cry."_

And then everyone was shouting at me at once, people jumping up from their seats and shooting furiously indignant glares at me from all sides. The only one who remained silent was Aaron, who sat on the far end of one of the couches; I was imploring him for help with my eyes, but he refused to meet my gaze.

"How could you?"

"It wasn't his fault!"

"I can't believe you would be such a jerk!"

"He was your _brother!"_

Amid all the shouting accusations, I heard the sound of a door swinging shut down the hall – Iggy must have ran off to the room he was now sharing with pretty much all the other guys in the house, to be alone. That sure sounded like a great idea – if only I could escape the furious horde of teens trying to rip my throat out…

"Alright, that's enough!" Jeb yelled sharply, finally stepping out of his room to check out all the commotion. "Everyone, calm down this instant - you're all acting like children."

"She made Iggy cry!" Aurora said accusingly, pointing a small finger in my direction.

"She was being a total jerk!" Arabel added angrily; next to her, Aro stood with folded arms, sending me a steady, resentful glare.

"Look," Jeb said wearily, "You're all mature here – you're just going to have to figure this out yourselves. I can't stand here and play dad for all of you."

Reluctantly, everyone backed off of me a little, Ari grumbling something about going to check on Iggy.

As everyone was settling back down in their seats, Jeb disappearing off to his room again and Amber going back to the kitchen to finish dinner, I heard a panicked shout come from the boys' room that filled the entire house, filling my heart with dread.

"Iggy's gone!"

* * *

Ari raced back into the living room, and everyone was on their feet again, crowding around him and demanding what was going on.

"I went in there, and he was just gone!" He explained, an anxious expression lining his face. "I checked the window, it was unlocked… I'm sure he could have fit through it, easily."

"Do you think maybe he was just going for a fly?" I suggested, still avoiding looking in Max's direction, who was standing off to the side with a shocked expression on her face. I still couldn't believe she had said all those things to Iggy… I'll admit, I had said some awful things too, but I was really regretting them now; the disgust I had felt then wasn't genuine, it was merely a cover story. But Iggy was Max's _brother_… I was still getting over the shock. Why would she want him gone so badly?

"I don't think so," Ari said, holding out a clawed hand to reveal a crumpled-up piece of paper. "I found this…"

Amber immediately snatched the paper, smoothing it out and reading it quickly, her eyes darting over the page. "Oh my gosh…"

"Let me see," I said, taking the paper from her hands and glancing over it. The handwriting was worse than Aurora's, the words all out of proportion, some of them backwards or upside-down. Still, I was amazed that Iggy could write at all, being blind his entire life outside of the School. I began reading the note, and my eyes widened and I cursed loudly – Arabel sent me a look, and she grabbed the note and read it aloud for everyone…

"Dear everyone,

"By the time you read this, I'll be long gone. I've been meaning to try out my wings for a while, now. I know some of you will probably be mad at me for leaving, but I can't stay here anymore - I have to go find the one person left in my family that still wants me around and cares about me…

"And, to Max –"

Max drew in a sharp intake of breath, and Arabel continued reading through narrowed eyes.

"And, to Max, I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. I know everything you've said is the truth. I'm so sorry I've disappointed you; I don't mean to be so disgusting…"

Everyone was glaring at Max again, and Axel made an angry noise in the back of his throat.

Arabel paused for a moment, and then read, "I'm going back to the lab. Please don't try to stop me. I have to rescue Fang, if it costs me my life. I just can't do this without him anymore…"

"Iggy," Amber muttered as Arabel reached the end of the note, shaking her head. "Why couldn't you have waited for us?"

"There's no way he can make it out there on his own," Aro said sullenly. "The Erasers will find him before he gets anywhere close to Fang."

"What are we going to do?" Ash asked, eyes wide with worry.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," Max spoke up, and everyone turned to her with surprise. Her dark gaze met mine, as she said with all her old conviction, "We're going after him, and I'm going to get my brother back."

* * *

**Yay! We're getting some old-Max back – Iggy's reaction to everything she said seems to be just the wake-up-call she needed. We're getting closer to the end, people!**

**Please review! For me and my poor, sick self… (I really think I'm coming down with something – I'm gonna post this and go lay down somewhere… ugh)**


	45. Too Late

**Hey guys! Hope you all had a nice week, and I'm so, so sorry for this update coming so late. This past week has been so busy, with a bunch of school and an eventful weekend - I went to a charity event for cancer with my church Friday, and spent all of Saturday with a couple of my friends (where I discovered my love of horror movies for the very first time – anyone else seen "The Haunting In Connecticut"? Epicness).**

**Well, here are the POVs: Iggy, Icarus, Max, and then Dr. Gunther-Hagen (that's a first). Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 45 – Too Late ~_

_

* * *

_

The whole world was displayed below me (invisible only to my eyes) as I made another beat of my powerful wings, finding comfort in the rhythmic sound of my feathers slicing through the air currents that streamed around me, whipping through my hair and playing familiar songs in my ears. Up high, far above all civilization and anything else worth mentioning, I experienced the one feeling that hadn't been mine for a very long, long time.

Freedom.

I was finally free. Never had I been so grateful for wings as I was in that moment, soaring through an endless panorama of blue – the voices silenced, memories keeping quiet in the back of my mind for the time being, and no Erasers around to take this feeling from me. Not now. Not ever again.

Other noises were drifting toward me through the wind, and I began to dive downward when I caught the sound of a distant ambulance screeching, nearly drowning out the steady blare of traffic below. This was probably the best chance I had of finding Fang – by letting myself be brought straight to him.

The plan was simple – maybe even a little stupid. But I was beyond caring. All I knew was that I had to take Fang back, no matter the cost. There was no way I was going to let Gunther-Hagen keep him.

I shuddered to think of what he could be doing to my brother at that moment, having plenty of horrific examples plastered into my brain, blotting out nearly every other thought and painting previous memories in shades of gray. If he could have such a great affect on me, what damage could he be causing on Fang?

Gauging the airwaves and barely perceptible echoes around me, I found a nice level rooftop to land on. I touched down silently, reluctantly folding my wings back up against myself and doing my best to hide them with the baggy hoodie of Axel's I'd grabbed on my way out. I hoped he wouldn't miss it – it would most likely be taken from me when they brought me back to the lab. Along with everything else I was wearing…

_Don't think about that_, I reprimanded myself harshly, fighting back the fear that threatened to overtake me. I was doing this for Fang – whatever happened to me hardly mattered, as long as he was okay. If I could just persuade Gunther-Hagen to let him go and keep me instead, then maybe this guilt would finally go away… and Max would be happy, right? She loved Fang – everyone in the flock knew it. Maybe if I brought Fang back to her, she wouldn't hate me so much…

With dread building in the pit of my stomach for what was to come, I quickly found my way to the building's fire escape and made my way down the steps two at a time, anxious to get onto the streets and, well… make myself visible for any Erasers that might be in the area.

I soon found that this would be a little more difficult than I'd hoped; crowds were pouring through the sidewalks on either side of the busy street, going about their day of business or shopping, not giving me a second glance as they rushed by, vanishing into the roaring current of bodies again. People and sounds were pressing in at all sides, triggering my claustrophobic reflex and making me tense and uneasy; the noise level here was virtually unbearable for my oversensitive ears. There was no way an Eraser would happen to spot me, surrounded by all these people…

I guess I'd just have to make myself more noticeable; not such a hard thing to do, considering my DNA had been gifted with an unmistakable two-percent of avian genes. Time to make a scene…

As it turns out, a fourteen-foot wingspan is the perfect defense of personal space. The gasping and screaming crowd parted like the Red Sea, and passing cars swerved dangerously in their lanes as they were distracted at the sight of me, the extent of my freakish mutation plainly exposed in all it's feathered glory.

"Sorry for the interruption," I shouted over the honking cars and astonished exclamations from the crowd, feeling every surrounding individual's stares focused on me and my wings, "but has anyone seen a bunch of eight-foot tall canine-faced freaks around here? The enormous fangs are impossible to miss, not to mention the revolting wet-dog smell."

The words were barely out of my mouth when a clawed hand reached from behind and grasped a hold of my neck, threatening to crush my windpipe and bring my world to an abrupt end. "Come on," a raspy voice growled in my ear, "I know we don't exactly have that whole _Estee Lauder_ thing going on, but 'revolting'? That's cold, freak."

People were really panicking now – I heard several women scream and a kid start to cry when more Erasers invaded the crowded sidewalk, shoving people out of the way and baring their fangs menacingly as they barked orders for everyone to clear out. "The doctor will be thrilled to see you again, runt," one of them taunted, causing the others to howl with cruel laughter.

"Yeah, I heard he already got tired of your replacement toy," another said, and I felt my eyes widen in horror, dread wrenching in my gut. _Fang_…

Just as blaring sirens announced the arrival of the cops to stop the assorted mutants terrorizing all the innocent pedestrians, the Erasers restrained me and jabbed a needle into my arm, injecting me with who knows what, and unfurling their own wings to the startled cries of many of the onlookers.

My head began to feel light, my thoughts becoming slow and fuzzy as if my brain had been stuffed with cotton balls. The last thing I remembered before the world faded away was my feet lifting off the ground, the Erasers suspending me in the air as they flew toward the ominous sound of thrumming helicopter blades.

_I'm coming, Fang_, I thought groggily. _I'm just sorry that I'm coming too late._

_

* * *

_

It was too late for anyone to help me now, even Fang. I was disgusting, worthless – I felt used and wrung-out, leaving me weak, lifeless and numb. There was nothing to prove that I was alive anymore, nothing but all this hollowing pain… If I'd ever had a soul of my own, I felt as though it had been carved out and shattered into a million pieces; all for that monster's entertainment…

"Hey, man – you okay?" Fang's voice startled me out of my brooding thoughts, and I plastered a less spaced-out look on my face that I hoped looked at least somewhat convincing.

"You mean, aside from the fact that I'm bored out of my mind in this room?" I replied, leaning my head back against the wall again, letting out a frustrated sigh. True, I was feeling beyond relentless locked away in this dull prison cell that looked as if it were designed for the mentally unstable (which is how I imagined myself turning out if I didn't get to see something besides freaking _white_ sometime soon), but it was a far better option than being chained up back in that _other_ room, with him…

"_It's a shame, you're not nearly as fun as Igneous – but you'll do…"_

"Icarus? What's wrong?"

It took me a moment to realize I was shaking. I hated myself for doing this every time I remembered, hated myself for being so weak; but it was so hard to act like I was okay, to keep up the lies that made up my mask of indifference. I just didn't want to break down again, not in front of Fang…

I bet Iggy was never this weak. Then again, he was the one that had gone insane…

"I just… nothing, Fang," I answered, looking down at the floor. "I'm fine."

"Do you expect me to believe that?" Fang asked softly, dark obsidian eyes trying to catch my adverted gaze.

I didn't respond, turning to lie on my side facing away from Fang, closing my eyes and mumbling, "Tired".

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, and I flinched, catching flashbacks of Gunther-Hagen digging his nails into my skin, leaving trails of bruises… "I already told you, I'm fine," I said shakily, refusing to show my face as my façade began to crack.

Fang wasn't buying it. "Listen, you've got to talk to me or something, you can't just keep pretending like this. I can help you –"

"What, like you helped Iggy?" I snapped, feeling all my pent-up frustration and anger at Gunther-Hagen rising, and not concerned with who it was directed at – I was too hurt to care anymore. "Well, news flash – I'm not Iggy. You don't know me, and you can't fix me. Why do you even care, huh? Am I just something to replace your brother? Well it seems like you're just going in circles, so you might try looking for someone that isn't broken just like him next time."

Fang looked surprised, and his hand released my shoulder, much to my relief. He turned away then, his expression a little hurt. "It's not like that," he said. "I'm not being nice to you because I expect you to replace Iggy. I'm just trying to help, because you don't deserve this."

I looked down at the floor and I felt my cheeks burning as guilt swept through me for yelling at the only friend I'd ever had; once again, I regretted pushing him away instead of accepting his offer of comfort. Could I do anything right?

"I'm sorry," I said remorsefully, shaking my head. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Fang said, sending me a small reassuring smile. "I know you're upset."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, when I finally spoke up, voicing my absentminded thoughts. "Do you think they're looking for us? The others, I mean."

Fang thought about this for a second, and said quietly, "I sure hope not."

"What are you saying?" I asked exasperatedly. "You'd rather wait around here and wait for Gunther-Hagen to come and… and…"

"No," Fang said with a sigh. "It's just, if they come here, you know what'll happen – they'd be captured immediately. And besides, someone needs to look after… Iggy."

I nodded solemnly. "Yeah."

Thinking back to those clips Gunther-Hagen had shown me (a certain one of them ingrained in my mind like a nauseatingly graphic sneak-peek into my own nightmarish future), and remembering Iggy's terrified outbursts of insanity heard clearly through the floorboards back at that crowded cabin with all the rest of those kids… I could feel nothing but worry and concern for the mutant that had supplied my DNA. Was he still insane? And, even if he had recovered from all that mental damage somehow, there was no way he didn't have other scars to deal with, as a result of all the emotional trauma he had endured.

"I hope he's okay," I said softly.

"Me too," came Fang's sincere response, his eyes filled with anxiety for his best friend. "They'd better be taking good care of him."

* * *

The stolen helicopter was packed with non-winged mutants, and those of us that could fly were all lined up in the clearing outside the cabin, positioned for takeoff. The plan was simple – we were going to find Iggy before he did anything too reckless and stupid, and then rescue Fang and the clone. Sure – easier said than done.

Still, it was my plan, and we were going to follow through with it. Ever since hearing the words directed to me from Iggy's note, I was resigned to regain as much as my old self as possible… whoever that was. I was told that I had been flock leader, and that nothing in my life was more important than my family – Iggy included. Jeb had looked at me with disappointment in his eyes, saying that if my memories had not been taken, I would have reacted entirely differently to Iggy's, err, _situation_. I would have accepted him, helped him, been there to comfort him, and showed him the love that a caring sister should.

The thing is, now that I really thought about it, I couldn't help but see the sense in this outlook on what had happened. I was really, truly sorry for those things I had said to Iggy, and if we didn't find him in time for me to sincerely apologize… I don't know that I could continue living with myself.

I took off in tandem with the helicopter and the rest of my flock, deliberating the best way to tell Iggy how sorry I was the moment we found him. _Please don't be too late,_ I pleaded with myself silently.

* * *

The doctor sat idly in the large leather armchair that overlooked his spacious (yet cold and plain) office, musing over the technical aspects of the new batch of super-clones currently being created from the compromised DNA he'd obtained from the first clone… the original copy, yes, but not nearly the same as Igneous himself. Oh, how he missed his little toy – for a variety of reasons…

Smirking to himself, he reached to his desk and retrieved his cell phone, his thumb stumbling eagerly over the buttons with as he dialed that familiar number.

"Yo, boss," came the low growl of the Eraser's voice through the receiver, almost lost in the steady thrum of helicopter blades in the background.

"Do you have it?" The doctor asked impatiently. He heard a throaty chuckle from the other end.

"Relax, doc," the mutant replied. "Yeah, we've got the freak – same as when you asked last time."

"I wanted to be sure," Gunther-Hagen snapped irritably. "You mutts have a habit of losing things."

"We're not letting him out of our hands again," the Eraser assured him. "You'll have the runt in about an hour."

Satisfied, Dr. Hans snapped the phone shut and laid it carefully back on his desk, a dark, malevolently hungry glint burning in his cold eyes, and a cruel smile flitting over his stony face. He couldn't wait to have his Igneous back… they had a lot of fun to catch up on together.

And then, once he had the original subject back in his possession, he would no longer have need of the foolish, defective clone that called himself _Icarus_. He had, after all, disobeyed him – and Hans had a threat to fulfill.

* * *

**Dun dun DUN. Jeez, that man is creepy…**

**Anyway, thanks for reading – I'll try to update sooner next time. Please review!**


	46. Bittersweet

**Hey guys! It's that time of week again – here's chapter 46. Enjoy!**

**POVS: Fang, Iggy and then Icarus.**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 46 – Bittersweet ~_

_

* * *

_

I think I had fallen asleep next to Icarus when he came in again. The creak of the door made me bolt awake, and before I could begin to pound on the sick pedophile for what he had done to Icarus, the burning pain from the metal collar was racing through my body again, forcing out an agonized scream. I felt someone yank my arms behind my back as I was writhing on the ground, chaining me in handcuffs. Finally the pain stopped, and I was left panting on the floor – Gunther-Hagen stepped closer, smirking down at me.

"Good morning, Fang. I trust you sleep well?"

"First Iggy, now him!" I snarled viciously, fighting hopelessly against my chains as I pictured strangling the monster the loomed above me. "How sick are you? Do you just go around screwing everything that moves?"

He laughed coldly. "Hmm, no. Just when I find someone I like."

I hurled obscenities at him as I struggled to kick him with my unbound feet, and he just motioned lazily for the Erasers there to restrain me. Meanwhile, Icarus had woken up and was sitting completely still, staring at Gunther-Hagen with a mixture of terror and hatred.

"You know, your generation of mutants really is quite pathetic," the doctor mused. "You're strength is nothing compared to my new enhanced clones. They could crush your bones to a fine powder with their bare hands."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever. So why do you still need us if you have your own super-mutants?"

He grinned with dark humor, his stony eyes glinting maliciously. "You were the bait."

Bait? Bait for what?

"Why don't you bring in our guest now?" Gunther-Hagen called back to the Erasers hanging around by the door. "I know Fang here has just been _dying_ to see him again."

The Erasers left the room, and soon came back carrying a large dog-crate between them, which they dropped unceremoniously in front of Gunther-Hagen. Through the small holes in the plastic covering, I caught a glimpse of pure white feathers, lightly dusted with dark specks that lead to the deep black tip of a wing…

My heart stopped.

_Iggy's_ wing.

"No," I whispered automatically, my voice soft with overwhelming shock and dismay. "No!"

Gunther-Hagen laughed, and bent down, unlatching the cage door and reaching inside. The wing disappeared from my view as Iggy flinched violently, scrambling to as far back in the crate as possible; but the man's grubby hand was able to reach him easily, resting on his stomach over the hem of his shirt, his fingers slipping under the fabric to brush against the pale skin. I heard Iggy let out a choked whimper.

Fury and hatred boiled up inside me, competing with the time when I'd discovered that Gunther-Hagen had succeeded in cracking Iggy's mind with his cruelty. My brother, my insane, traumatized brother was here again, in the hands of the man that had broken him in such a damaging way that I had nearly lost hope in ever getting his old, happy go-lucky self back. It was the same nightmare all over again, a relapsing disaster. I couldn't imagine that Iggy could possibly take any more of this, this Hell that he'd been dragged into.

And I was responsible for all of it.

"No! No, Iggy, no…" My voice broke, but I refused the tears that threatened to fall on my brother's behalf. From across the room, I could see all the mixed emotions swimming through Icarus' eyes – confusion, pity, anger, fear.

Meanwhile, it seemed all Gunther-Hagen could do was laugh – laugh at my devastated outbursts, at Iggy's terror, at the whole horrific situation that he had set up so nicely. It was unbearable. I struggled with all my bird-kid strength against the Erasers holding me back, my only thoughts consumed by bloodlust.

"You won't hurt him!" I screamed. "I won't let you hurt him!"

"I would appreciate it if you used your _inside_ voice, Fang," the doctor said calmly, smirking. "Igneous just arrived here, after all – wouldn't want to make him feel unwelcome."

I glared at him, lost for words to describe the hatred that raced through me. _He_ had brought my brother back, and now he was going to hurt him, torture him in the sickest ways imaginable. It was all his fault, and I was going to kill him…

"Why did you bring him back?" I demanded coldly, shaking with anger. "You couldn't just be satisfied with ruining his life – you have to take it too?"

"Quite the contrary," he replied. "If I killed him, I would have no one to supply the original DNA I need to convert into the cloning formula – and, besides, he's far too much fun to simply get rid of."

A low growl of anger resonated from my throat. He grinned with amusement.

"And, to answer your first question," he continued, "_I _didn't bring him here. No, my dear Igneous came to me all on his own. I'm afraid that I've underestimated his loyalty to you."

My eyes widened in horror. _Me?_ Iggy let himself be captured for _me? _No. No, he had to be lying… but, knowing Iggy, I knew deep down that he was telling nothing but the truth.

"Ig, why?" I asked. "Why the heck did you do this for me?"

I didn't expect him to answer – Iggy was in no fit state to talk, after all. But I did get a response, and not in the hysteric, crazed voice I had come to recognize, but a voice that sounded a lot more… like the old Iggy.

"I had to, Fang," he said, his pleading voice slightly muffled from inside the crate. "I couldn't just leave you here. The others didn't want me anyway…"

"Well then," Gunther-Hagen said in a sickeningly cheerful voice. "I suppose I am intruding – I'll give you all some time to, ah, catch up." And, with that, he motioned for his Erasers to remove my handcuffs and release me (but not before sending a powerful punch to my abdomen, causing me to double over, immobilized), and they all left the room, locking the door behind them.

* * *

"… Fang?"

I crawled out of the stupid crate, squeezing my wings through the tiny opening, and sitting on the floor in the familiar position of having my knees pulled close to me. I ducked my head slightly, not daring to go near him. He was angry with me, I knew it… jeez, I was so selfish. Fang hadn't wanted me to come, but I had to – I couldn't stay there, with the flock. That was certain.

"Are… are you mad?" I asked apprehensively, fidgeting with my hands nervously. "I know you probably are, but I couldn't stay with the flock, and I had to find you, I couldn't leave you here… I'm sorry…"

Strong arms wrapped around me before I could say another word, and I hugged Fang back, overjoyed to be with one of my family again, my best friend. "I missed you," I said shakily. "You have no idea what it's been like back there, with the others."

Fang pulled back again, and I sensed him searching my face for something. "Iggy, you're… you're back to normal?"

He sounded like he could hardly believe it, just a faint glimmer of desperate hope given away in his voice. I smiled, feeling the happiest I had in a very long time, despite myself.

"It was Amber," I answered. "She helped me so much."

I could practically feel the joy and relief bursting out of Fang, as he laughed, pulling me into another hug. I was beaming, so glad that he was happy and we were together, just...

I heard someone else shifting on the floor nearby, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Who's there?" I said, feeling terror starting to pick up in my chest, heart pounding as I thought of Gunther-Hagen, coming back to touch me again…

"Iggy, relax," Fang said hurriedly, reaching to grab my arm and keep me from curling up in a corner or something. "It's just… Icarus."

"Who?" I asked warily, turning my head to where I heard the other's breathing. I had to struggle to hear it over my own, because the pattern was so much alike…

"Um, he's your clone," Fang replied. "We call him Icarus."

"Oh," was really all I had to say. That explained the breathing. "Uh, hi," I said awkwardly, reaching a hand out toward him. "I'm Iggy. Nice to meet you."

Icarus took the hand, shaking it timidly. I was startled at how every callous, every little detail about the hand felt exactly identical to my own. It was a little unsettling, but I was determined to be friendly. "Amber told me about you," I said, releasing my – uh, his – hand. Wow, this was weird. "She said you helped everyone find me, before."

There was a pause, in which I assumed he nodded, and he said, "Yeah, I guess," in my voice.

I'm pretty sure we just sat there staring at each other for a few long moments, until Fang spoke. "So, Igs… why couldn't you have stayed with the flock?" I could sense the remorse and disappointment in his words, and I winced, knowing that I wasn't completely off the hook about coming back to the lab.

"Uh… Max," I admitted, diverting my eyes to the floor. "She just really didn't want me around. I… I disgust her. She hates me. So I left."

Remembering the harsh words she'd said that day and how much pain they caused me made my eyes begin tingle with unshed tears, but I quickly blinked them away, resolved not to cry in front of Fang again. I had done that far more times in the past month than I cared to count, and I didn't plan to break down again any time soon.

Fang laid a hand on my shoulder, and said in a quiet voice, "She hates me too."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Yeah?"

I think he nodded. "She's falling all over Aaron, now."

I gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Fang," I said sincerely. "I know you really liked her."

"I did," he replied in a sort of hollow voice.

We were silent for a while after that. The quiet gave me freedom to think, and as I let my mind wander, all I could think about was _how long? _How long until Gunther-Hagen came back for me, bringing along the promise of more pain, of being violated all over again? Just the thought of it made me want to break down… or be sick. I just couldn't handle this, not again…

"Ig, are you alright?" Fang asked, concern displayed clearly in his voice. "You're shaking, bro."

"I'm…" I was going to say _I'm fine_, but somehow I couldn't bring myself to lie to him like I usually did when he asked if I was okay. "I'm scared," I whispered instead, turning my gaze to meet his as best I could. "I'm scared of what'll happen when he comes back."

* * *

My heart went out to Iggy when he said that. I knew what that was like, that fear – the terror that cancels out all rational thought when your personal torturer is in question, the horror that paralyzes and eats away at your self-esteem until there's hardly any of you left. I knew how it felt to be terrified of someone's touch. And I also knew that Iggy had endured this same nightmare even longer than I had – the state he'd been in when we left him the week before had been proof of that.

Fang wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders in a silent effort to try to soothe him, a dark look in his eyes as I assumed he thought about what Gunther-Hagen would do as well. It was true that words left unspoken always blared the loudest.

"It'll be okay, Ig," Fang comforted, but the hint of doubt in his voice was testament to what empty meaning those words held. We all knew what was going to happen. And, I was sure that when it did, Iggy would be anything but okay. How could he?

Suddenly, the urge to be there for Iggy – my twin older than me by nearly fifteen years – was overpowering. I didn't know how much of a comfort I could be, but I knew I could offer something that Fang could not: empathy.

I scooted closer to the two of them, and rested a hand on Iggy's back, between the wings (which, along with everything else about him, were identical to mine down to the last feather). Iggy flinched slightly, but eased into it soon enough. "We're here for you, man," I said, knowing that was the thing he needed to hear most. "Whatever happens… you won't be alone. Not like I was."

Iggy sent me a questioning glance, and a look of horror crossed his face as understanding dawned on him. "The Eraser… he said that Gunther-Hagen had found a… a replacement. You…?"

"Yeah," I answered quietly.

"Oh, gosh," Iggy said, letting his head drop into his hands. "I never wanted for this to happen… I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," I insisted firmly.

I was surprised. I'll admit, I had always slightly resented Iggy – resented him for being the "original", for everyone liking him more than me, and even for supposedly bringing Gunther-Hagen 's interest upon me as his "replacement". But now, seeing him like this, scared and vulnerable as I had once been… it brought him into a completely new perspective for me. Now I found myself really hoping we could be good friends, like he and Fang were.

Just then, the door swung open and Gunther-Hagen walked in, a cruel smile spreading on his face as he saw us gathered around Iggy. "Well, isn't this just touching?"

I felt Iggy begin to shake, his eyes wide with fear, and Fang had his lips curled up in a threatening snarl as he held Iggy tighter, spreading his dark wings to envelop him protectively. Sending a glare at Gunther-Hagen, he growled, "You're not going to lay a hand on him, you sick –"

But he was cut off by a horrible scream, as the doctor made his point with the shock-collars again – Iggy immediately rushed to Fang's side as he lay on the ground, continuing to scream, his back arching with pain. "Stop it, please you're hurting him, _stop!"_ Iggy shouted desperately at Gunther-Hagen, who simply smirked and turned the device back off with his little remote. Fang lay still, gasping weakly for air.

"Much better," Gunther-Hagen said, pocketing the remote once more with a smug expression. "Well, time's up on your cozy little visit here – we have business to attend to."

Erasers invaded the room, proceeding to handcuff each of us and pull us roughly to our feet. "Now," Gunther-Hagen ordered, "I want Igneous in his old cell – I'm sure there will be plenty of good memories for him there. And, as for Fang and the clone, they will come with me."

Dread built up in the pit of my stomach as we were escorted out, with Fang practically being dragged there, as they had to hold him to keep him from rushing to his brother, who was being taken in the opposite direction. Iggy's face was even paler than usual, and I could tell he was struggling to keep up a calm mask as he followed the Erasers to his fate without resisting.

Unfortunately, I had all too good of an idea of what was in store for Iggy. But what the heck did Gunther-Hagen want with Fang and I?

* * *

**Suspense! Sorry about the cliffies guys, but it had to done. **

**Pretty-please review! :)**


	47. Icarus Falls

**Surprise! Aren't you all so psyched about the super-fast update? Well, you know I love to make my readers happy (and I also like to bribe certain authors – cough flYegurl, cough – to update as well). **

**Okay, just as a heads-up: this chapter will be a bit short and very sad. :'( **

**POVs: Icarus, Fang and then Iggy. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 47 – Icarus Falls ~_

_

* * *

_

I followed Gunther-Hagen silently down the long pristine halls, passing scientists in stark white lab coats, as well as Erasers that bore down at me menacingly with their fangs. Once I caught sight of a fellow experiment, a tiny little boy being carted in his cage toward one of the examination labs – he had huge, innocent round eyes like liquid gold. He was also covered in blue fur, and had a long tail poking out through his clothes, twitching nervously on the floor of his cage.

I quickly looked away, appalled that people could be so cruel as to do this to poor little kids. Then again, I was younger than them all… just a couple weeks old. But I had no right to feel sorry for myself – I was lucky to even be alive at all.

We eventually reached our destination, a room behind thick metal doors protected by a complex security code and finger-scanner. Gunther-Hagen grinned smugly as he showed Fang and I inside, and my mouth gaped open in shock mingled with horror.

I was faced with at least a dozen exact replicas of myself, each one lying on a gleaming metal table, hooked up to numerous wires and needles. I swallowed thickly. Clones. So many of them – each one a reminder that I was merely a copy, an artificial human being, and that Gunther-Hagen could make another, a dozen others just like me. Just like Iggy.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Gunther-Hagen boasted, pacing down the row of identical sleeping mutants he'd created, looking intently at each one with an expression of pride. "I will create an army – a mass of unstoppable, fearless super-mutants, with strength unparalleled amongst average humans. With these clones as my weapons, I shall –"

"Take over the world?" Fang interrupted snidely, glaring at Gunther-Hagen. "Typical super-villain goal. A bit cliché, don't you think?"

The doctor smirked. "True – but I will be the first to succeed."

"Not if I kill you first," Fang retorted angrily, struggling against the Eraser's grasp once more.

"I'm glad you brought that up," Gunther-Hagen said, stepping behind a computer desk in the back of the room, his fingers tapping rapidly over the keyboard. "You see, learning from my mistakes, I have programmed these particular clones to have no personality or sense of will whatsoever. I can simply give an order, and they will follow without question."

He paused for a moment, reaching for a square plastic disk on the desk and slipping it into a slot in the computer, then typing something again. He looked back up at us with a smug grin and a dark, malevolent glint in his eyes.

"I'm glad you mentioned killing, Fang, because I've been meaning to give my clones a little fighting experience. I was planning on just using one of the failed experiments here at the lab that was slated for termination anyway, but I figured bringing you here today would be so much more… ironic."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Fang demanded, as my heart began to race anxiously in my chest.

"I'm talking about the little agreement I had with that useless clone," Gunther-Hagen replied, gesturing toward me. "It disobeyed me, even when I told it exactly what the consequence would be. Didn't I, _Icarus?"_

"Please," I begged in a weak voice, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of fear gripping my heart. I had never been so terrified in my entire life. "Please, just let us go. I didn't do anything wrong!"

I didn't want to die… I had friends, Fang and Iggy – they cared about me. And what about my promise to Iggy, to be there for him when he needed someone most? And not to mention the fact that my entire life so far had only consisted of two short weeks – heck, half of the time I'd been miserable! This wasn't fair… I didn't want to die!

"Begging will get you nowhere, brat," Gunther-Hagen snapped, and he typed in another code. There was an ominous beeping noise from the computer, and it was done.

I saw one of the clones begin to stir in his sleep. His eyes blinked open, and he sat up, examining the room with a blank, lifeless gaze. No, no…

"You can't do this!" shouted Fang, shaking with fury and throwing himself against the Erasers' grip.

"Can't I?" the doctor interjected, going around the room yanking out the cords attached to the clones as they all began waking up in the same manner as the first, giving their surroundings a glazed stare.

I swept my eyes around the room quickly, searching for any possible way of escape. I had to get Fang and I out of here, and find Iggy… but as clones began hopping off the tables and sending me piercing glares, I found myself subconsciously backing against the wall. They practically emanated power by the way they carried themselves – strong, deadly. They were going to crush me to a pulp, and there was nothing I could do about it.

That's when I really started to panic. I began to hyperventilate, feeling my heart pump in my chest a hundred miles an hour. No, this couldn't be happening… I was about to _die_.

"Take Fang into the examination room please," Gunther-Hagen told the Erasers, who nodded, dragging Fang toward a door leading off of the room that I must have missed.

"No!" he shouted, fighting against the Erasers with everything he had, but it was hopeless. They shoved him into the other room, and I was alone – alone with the man that had tortured me and his horde of zombie-clones.

The doctor stepped forward, coming within inches of me. As I stared at him fearfully, he reached out and laid a hand on my cheek, stroking his thumb across it with mock-affection. I shuddered and tried to flinch away as memories swarmed through my head, and he smirked sadistically.

He backed off and made for the door, and for one moment of relief I thought he would just leave me alone.

Then, just as he was walking out he looked over his shoulder and nonchalantly ordered, "Kill him."

The first clone advanced toward me, and that's when I finally let the tears fall.

_I don't want to die_.

* * *

I watched the screen with horror, as the clones surrounded Icarus, who looked absolutely terrified. He quickly snapped out his wings and took off, flitting around the ceiling frantically, looking for an escape. Finding an air vent, he worked at prying off the grate, but it was bolted shut.

Several of the clones had discovered their wings as well, and flew up after him, grabbing at his wings and clothes, trying to bring him down. He was able to tear away from them, and tried to get to the door of the room I was in, but again, he was unsuccessful – the door was locked by a security code on both sides. I had already tried getting to him that way, but it was hopeless. All I could do now was stand there, alone, watching the scene of his death unfold.

One of the clones grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall effortlessly, making his head bang back with a sickening _crack_. He let out a dazed moan of pain, and slid to the floor, blood starting to trickle through his pale strawberry-blond hair.

"No," I breathed, fists clenched and heart hammering with horrible anticipation. Part of me wanted to turn away, knowing that I wasn't strong enough to witness my friend's death – but another part knew that I had to. Icarus had promised my brother that he would be there for him, and now I had to be there… in what was sure to be the clone's last moments.

I watched with tears in my eyes as Icarus continued to try desperately to get away from the mindless clones, which delivered one powerful blow after another to his already weakened body; I winced when one of them ripped out a handful of feathers from his wing.

Icarus had tears of pain and fear streaming down his face when he finally couldn't move any further. The clones overpowered him immediately, piling on top of him – I saw fists flying, heard bones snapping and shattering, and Icarus letting out a choked scream.

_I won't be sick. I won't be sick._

And then, as if the whole thing had been rehearsed, the clones suddenly backed off of Icarus, leaving him on the floor, mangled, bloodstained and still.

I knew, feeling a dull pang in my heart, that he was dead.

I let the tears fall freely, not bothering to wipe them away. I felt the loss of a part of me as I stared at Icarus' broken body, and let the cold fury spread through me, consuming me with numb hatred.

It was his fault that my friend was dead. His fault, that Iggy would never be the same again. His fault that Max hated me, that I felt sick with worrying about my brother constantly, that my whole freaking life had become one living Hell. Everything was Gunther-Hagen's fault.

I was hardened with the resolve to end that sick monster's life, in exchange for the life he had ruined for Iggy, and taken completely from Icarus. It was the only way to avenge the death of my friend.

Unable to bear the sight of Icarus' empty eyes staring up endlessly into nothing, I placed my palm on the screen, hiding his face from my view. Then I broke down, my shoulders shaking under the overwhelming force of the loss of my friend, all my sadness and anger and pain falling to the floor in the form of salty tears. It was hard to believe I used to be Mr. Rock – now it seemed I was constantly falling apart, all because of _him_.

"I'll get the revenge you deserve, Icarus," I said shakily, my tear-filled eyes burning with hatred and fury for Gunther-Hagen.

The next time I saw the doctor, I would kill him – this time, for certain. A life for a life.

* * *

The memories that hung in the dank air of the cell were suffocating. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I couldn't think of anything but all the horror and pain I'd endured in that one room.

He had been there, touching me, violating me in every sick way possible. I had bled there, cried there, screamed inside those concrete walls. I had lost my innocence, and even my sanity in that room. Needles to say, I was falling apart to be back against that wall, my wrists encased in shackles, with nothing but the clothes on my body to remind me of the present.

And I was all alone… for now.

But not for much longer. I heard the sound I had learned to dread, the agonizing whine of metal hinges as the cell door swung open. Clinging to the faint hope that it might be someone, _anyone_ besides Gunther-Hagen, I asked shakily, "Who's there? Fang?"

I heard a familiar dark chuckle, and my heart seeped with fear and dread as I heard the doctor say, "Guess again. You have no idea how much I've missed you – we're all alone now, pet."

_All alone_… I repeated in my mind, filled with agonizing terror and dismay for what was about to happen. _Fang, where are you?_

_

* * *

_

**Guys, you seriously have no idea how sad I was writing this chapter. I assume you all hate me now for killing Icarus… he really was so awesome. But I had to! Logically, there's no way Gunther-Hagen would've let him live. Please forgive pandorad! D:**

**Review…?**


	48. The Offer

**Hey people! Hope you all had a good week, and that everyone got the new Panic! At the Disco album, **_**Vices and Virtues**_**! … If you haven't, then you must. Seriously. It's legend – wait for it, and I hope you're not lactose-intolerant, because the other half of the word is – DARY! Hehe, I love **_**How I Met Your Mother**_**… **

**Oh, and by the way, I received a comment the other night, and it basically said that I needed to stop making my fic "emo and depressing", and that I was wasting my talent on a sad story. Well, I'd like to tell this anonymous reviewer (even though that person will probably never read this) that maybe I have a particular talent specifically for sad stories, and if you don't like something, **_**don't read it**_**. Make sense to everyone else? **

**POVs: Iggy, Fang, Max and then Aaron. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

_~ Chapter 48 – The Offer ~_

_

* * *

_

It was finally over. He'd been violating me for hours, I'd estimate all night. I was exhausted to the point of nausea, and in an excruciating amount of pain; but the physical effects of this torture was nothing compared to the emotions that flooded through me, tearing down every feeble defense I had built up over my days spent with Amber and reminding me what it felt like to wish I were dead.

_Used._

_Disgusting._

_Worthless._

I was all of those things… how could anyone ever love me? And then Max's words rang through my head again, and with a pang of shame I realized just how right she'd been all along.

"_Well, I'm not a _guy_, for starters…"_

"_I already told you, I refuse to have a _raped psycho_ living with me!"_

"_It's not like any of his family remembers him or wants him here. He's nothing but a high-maintenance waste of space."_

I'd refused to cry the entire time he was there, and now the pent-up tears were falling silently as I lay curled-up brokenly on the floor, bruised and bleeding. My clothes were scattered several feet beyond the reach my chains allowed, so I had my wings wrapped around myself to provide warmth and a faint sense of protection to my trembling form. I felt pitifully vulnerable, and my only naïve hope now was that he wouldn't come back for me again. I couldn't handle this, after I had already endured so much; just to be brought straight back to where I started.

_I did this for Fang_, I reminded myself for the hundredth time that night, and once again wondered anxiously where Gunther-Hagen had taken him, and how long it would be till we would see each other again. I swear, if that man had hurt him or Icarus…

My senses stalled and my heart seemed to stop for a moment out of fear when I heard the harsh whine of the door swing open, and I pleaded to whoever was listening that it wouldn't be Gunther-Hagen back for more so soon. _Please, please don't be him, please…_

"Iggy!"

Fang. I gave an internal sigh of relief, and heard him step closer hesitantly, taking in the visible damage, and assessing all that I hid. Wordlessly he knelt down at my side, and cautiously laid a hand on my shoulder. I shuddered, but didn't push him away – I knew by now that I could trust Fang more than I could myself.

"Ig…" His voice shook with anger for what he knew had been done to me, and my cheeks flushed with shame for the same reason as tears continued to slide down to the floor. I didn't bother to wipe them away; I knew it would be no use anyway. "Iggy, I'm so sorry."

"Why should you be sorry?" I asked in a cracked whisper, struggling to control my voice.

"Because I wasn't there," he answered quietly. "I wasn't there when you needed me."

"I'm fine," I lied weakly, sounding very convincing through my tears.

"How bad?" he demanded softly, meaning _"how bad was it this time?"_. I bit my lip.

"Bad," I finally admitted, curling my wings tighter around myself. "He… he stayed all night."

I barely heard Fang shake his head angrily, and he squeezed my shoulder comfortingly before getting up and retrieving my scattered clothes from across the room.

"Why didn't they chain you up too?" I questioned him as he returned with my clothes, wiping away the last of my tears with a shaky hand.

"I guess Gunther-Hagen was in a generous mood today," he replied with bitter sarcasm. He helped me gently to my feet so I could slip into my pants, and I let out a pained hiss as I stood and got dressed.

"Hey… Fang?" I said when I sat leaning against the wall again, having suddenly noticed something. "Where's Icarus? Is he okay?"

* * *

I hesitated for a long moment, unsure of how to break the news to him, and still shaken about Icarus' death myself. I decided it was best just to be blunt.

"He's dead, Ig. Gunther-Hagen killed him."

Iggy's eyes widened in shock, and he let his head drop into his hands, his fingers twisting through his hair and tugging at it roughly as if intentionally trying to hurt himself. "No, no… I didn't want this to happen, n-no one was supposed to g-get hurt because of me…"

"No, Iggy," I said sternly, And I noticed that he was shaking. "It wasn't your faul-"

"_How can you say that?"_ He burst out, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "He wouldn't have been here, heck, he wouldn't have even been _alive_ if it weren't for me! So whose fault is it that he had to die, Fang? And don't you _dare_ say it was yours, 'cause you know dang well who's to blame for this."

I was stunned by Iggy's outburst, and I stared back into his sightless eyes filled with anger and pain with a look of sympathy that, somehow, didn't go unnoticed.

"Stop looking at me like that," Iggy mumbled, turning away and hiding behind his bangs. "I know you think I'm being stupid, but I already felt guilty for bringing him into this, and now…"

"I know," I said quietly. "I can't help but feel like it's my fault too. But, really… this is no one's responsibility but Gunther-Hagen's. Along with everything else."

Iggy's face flushed again, and he adverted his eyes to the floor. "I know."

I gazed over him for a minute, and since his shirt had been ripped to pieces to get it off due to his chains, I couldn't help but notice the ugly marks like reddish bruises trailing down from his neck to his abdomen. My stomach churned with anger and disgust when I realized they were violent hickeys left by Gunther-Hagen from the previous night.

I couldn't believe that sick pedophile could continue to hurt my brother like this, after everything the monster had put him through. Would it be like last time, with another visit every day? Well, not if I had any say in it, that's for sure. Jeez, I just felt so bad for Iggy… he'd done nothing wrong, and yet he'd had so many disgusting, horrible things happen to him. I didn't know where he found the strength to stand it.

"It'll be okay, Ig," I assured him softly, wrapping an arm and both wings around him comfortingly, my feathers brushing against the ones that hung at his sides. "The rest are coming for us, and then we'll give Gunther-Hagen what he deserves."

Iggy nodded, letting his head rest on my shoulder with exhaustion. "I just hope they make it soon."

* * *

"Max, we're all exhausted," Nudge whined from beside me.

"And I'm _starving_," Gazzy added. I sighed, admitting defeat.

"Fine," I relented, "we'll take a break." The kids cheered. Jeez, I needed more practice at the whole "leader" thing… I veered through the sky toward the helicopter and tapped on the window to get Jeb's attention, motioning for him to make a landing, before doing a sharp dive for the ground myself. Alright, I may not be the best flock-commander, but I was definitely getting better at this flying business!

Once the copter had made a landing in a nice secluded clearing, I was sent with the rest of the flock and a wad of cash from Jeb to find some food and bring it back for everyone. We found a little fast-food joint just beyond the trees, and received our mutant-sized order twenty minutes later from a very frazzled cashier, who looked practically overjoyed to see us leave.

As we were about to take-off from behind the restaurant, I suddenly heard a piercing scream, and turned to see little Angel being scooped up and carried off by a dark figure, who was sprinting away out of sight.

"Angel!" I screamed, and began running after the man, the rest of the flock close behind. _What now?_ I thought. _Don't these creeps already have enough flock-members to keep them satisfied? _Obviously not, 'cause this guy was seriously booking-it – and he seemed to be heading toward a large abandoned-looking warehouse. Great.

"Hold on, Ange'!" I yelled, as the man quickly climbed over the chain-link fence that surrounded the building, which I cleared easily with my wings, and followed them inside a cavernous room that held nothing but a few crates and… a bunch of Asian men. What the heck? Was it some kind of gang?

"Put her down!" I shouted, and to my surprise, the man (who I realized also had distinct Asian features) stopped and gently placed Angel back on her feet. She ran toward me, and joined the rest of the flock at my side.

"Maximum Ride," said one of the men in a thick accent, who appeared to be the head honcho of the girl-nappers. "I'm delighted that we finally found you. My name is Mr. Chu."

"What do you want?" I demanded, but felt Angel tugging at my sleeve.

"It's alright, Max," she said, beaming. "They're the ones that took our memories."

"Oh, wonderful," I exclaimed sarcastically. "Then they _must_ be harmless."

"I promise you, we mean no harm miss Ride," the man, Mr_._ Chu, assured me.

I snorted. "Right. Well, you obviously wanted us here for a reason, so how 'bout you get on with your 'harmless' plans already."

"Absolutely," Chu said, unperturbed. "You see, Maximum, I was hired – or, rather, _blackmailed_ into taking you and your family's memories. Dr. Gunther-Hagen captured my wife and daughter, and said that he would return them in exchange for my services."

"Did he?" I asked, curious. He got a pained look on his face.

"No. He killed both of them. And, before he killed them, he…"

He trailed off, and I got a nasty feeling that Mr. Hans didn't just have a thing for guys…

"I'm sorry," I said, unable to help feeling sorry for this man, even if he had stolen my memories. "So, what do you want from us?"

"I have a proposition," he said, folding his arms. "Gunther-Hagen must pay for what he has done to my family. I have attempted to break into his lab, but lost several of my men trying to get through security."

"You mean the Erasers?" I said. "We can kick their furry butts any day." _As long as we have Ari…_

"I know," said Mr. Chu. "That is why I need you."

"What are you saying?" I asked cautiously.

"I'm saying that I am prepared to return your memories to you and your family," he said, pulling a syringe from his pocket filled with an odd golden liquid, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Our… our memories?" I stammered, and I heard gasps from Nudge and Gazzy.

"Yes. Everything would be intact. You see, none of your memories _left_ you exactly, just put in an inaccessible part of your minds. This serum will fully retrieve them all, and you will also keep all the memory you acquired since you lost them."

My head was spinning with the enormity of his offer. My memories, all of them… I could be the girl I once was, I could make everything _right_ again. It was much too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" I asked, and Chu shook his head.

"No catch," he said with a smile. "I only want a small favor in exchange."

"Yeah?" I said, breathless. "What favor? We'll do anything."

"I will give you your memories back," Chu said, rolling the syringe around in his hand, "if you will kill Hans Gunther-Hagen."

Gunther-Hagen. He was the reason for all this. He was why my memories had been taken, why part of my flock was missing, and he'd raped Iggy and made him go insane, turning me into a total jerk. Yeah, this guy had lost his living rights long ago. It was time to make things right.

"I accept."

* * *

"If your girlfriend doesn't get back soon, I think my stomach will _implode_," Axel said with a groan, and I shot him a look.

"She's not my girlfriend," I muttered, and he rolled his eyes.

"No, of course not," he said sarcastically. "I'm sure that time I caught you two making kissy-face at each other was just a _friend _thing."

"Shut up," I hissed, and he laughed, long incisors poking through his lips, one of the only visible factors of our cat-mutation that we all shared. _Like a family of vampires!_ Nudge had once said. _Oh my gosh, you could totally be like the Cullens! You're Edward, Axel is Emmet, then I guess that would make Arabel be Rosalie, but she's mean_… I swear, a conversation with Nudge was like listening to a particularly obnoxious talking teen-magazine.

"There they are," Arabel said, pointing up at the sky as she walked up to us, and I watched Max and the rest of the flock fly toward the clearing. "It's about dang time, too. I hope they didn't forget my six chocolate shakes…"

But as the flock landed, I noticed they weren't carrying any food. "What the heck, guys?" I asked, as everyone groaned and protested.

Max looked up at me, and that's when I saw it - the emotions swimming through her eyes, the sorrow, pain, guilt, and most prominently, fury. The rest of the flock all wore similar expressions, and Gazzy even had tears in his eyes.

"Max...?" I asked cautiously, wondering what was wrong with all of them. "What…?"

"We have to get Iggy and Fang," she said firmly. "Now."

It was her voice that stunned me, the way she held herself, the fire in her eyes. I hadn't seen her like this since…

"We have our memories back, Aaron. We remember everything. And now we have to get the rest of my flock together, and kick that sicko's sorry butt into the next century for what he did to my brother."

My heart nearly stopped.

_Max is back_.

* * *

**YAY! You guys have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that! I was getting pretty sick of the new, heartless Max, so here's the flock you all know and love once more, back with vengeance! :D**

**Oh, and do you like what I did with Mr. Chu? I justified his evilness, just to put a twist on things. I like to do that, as you can see.**

**Please review! And I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF FLAMES! (I'm pretty surprised I've only gotten one out of about 360 so far.)**


	49. Over Think

**Hey guys! Well, I just got back from vacation (Universal Studios is awesome! I just about died over all the great rollercoasters and the Harry Potter park – I'm a huge HP fan), and I'm ready to type you guys up a new chapter! Forgive me if it's crappy though, I'm feeling pretty awful at the moment, took some Motrin… hopefully my brain won't be affected. **

**Oh, and by the way, I've heard from a few of you, on several occasions, telling me that my plot is kinda going in circles, and you guys would like something new. I've noticed that I am getting pretty predictable, and I'm sorry – that's why we're going to make some progress in this chapter, so just bear with me, 'kay? **

**POVs: Max, Iggy, and then Fang. Enjoy!**

* * *

_~ Chapter 49 – Over think ~_

* * *

"_I refuse to be anywhere near some raped psycho. It creeps me out..."_

"_Well, don't look at me. I'm not going after that jerk – let him get mauled be Erasers, for all I care."_

"_Maybe Iggy ought to be the one to leave – it's not like any of his family remembers him or wants him here. He's nothing but a high-maintenance waste of space."_

I spent weeks wishing for nothing more than to have my memories back, and now each snippet of past thoughts and words struck me like a bullet, tearing me apart with raging guilt.

Gosh, I freaking hated myself.

How could I be so cruel, so insensitive and _heartless_ towards Iggy? Ig, the fourteen-year-old sarcastic pyro that I had grown up with, one of my absolute best friends in the whole world, and one of the three guys in my life that I trusted and _loved_ enough to call my brother. He had suffered so much, had so many horrible, unimaginable things happen to him, and I had reacted with nothing but disgust and hateful words. And then, when Fang had tried to defend him, I had called my right-wing-man a _jerk_ for giving stupid Aaron (who I had actually _kissed_,ugh) a well-deserved beating. What the heck was _wrong_ with me?

I had been kicking myself the entire time we had been flying, while simultaneously trying to console my very upset flock, who were all shaken about the whole Iggy-and-Fang-are-captured thing, and trying to avoid the steady glare Nudge was giving me for having said all those things. At least she had retained some sense while our memories were off on vacation – I remember that she had felt bad for Iggy when Fang told us what happened, but I just ignored her. _Stupid Max, stupid, stupid, stupid_…

I honestly had no idea what possessed me to think and say all those ridiculous, shallow things. I mean, I'd just lost my _memories_, not my common sense – right? Would I seriously think that about someone, even a stranger, if I was in my right mind? No, I'm sure I wouldn't.

But, then again, the experiences I'd gone through in my life helped shape me – if I had never been experimented on by sadistic scientists as a kid, if I hadn't had to live relying on five other mutants and singlehandedly take care of them for years, then I probably wouldn't be the same person. Still, it was painful to think I would've been _that_ if I hadn't been given the life I had…

The sight of the helicopter dipping down for a landing out of the corner of my eye tore me from my musings, and I lead the flock in a dive to follow them down to a wide expanse of cracked pavement, apparently the remains of an old abandoned runway somewhere along the far Western edge of Europe. Once the copter was safely planted on the ground, Jeb, Ari and the pack spilled out and we all made our way toward the small vacant building that the airport must have operated from to catch some much needed sleep before we took off again.

I offered to take first watch once everyone was comfortably hunkered down inside, and took my station on the roof, looking out over the darkness that settled over the vast stretch of land. As far as the eye could see, everything remained still, silent except for the mild chirping of concealed crickets below. It was simply peaceful, and I was left to sort out my thoughts without interruption.

"Hey, Max."

Of course, I wasn't allowed any degree of peace for too long, that would just be too much to hope for. "What do you want, Aaron?" I asked, expressing my annoyance with a contempt sigh.

Aaron hesitated at my obvious irritation, but plucked up the courage and sat down beside me, a little too close for my comfort. "So," he began, "care to explain this whole situation? I mean, we send you guys to get some food, and you come back with your memories? What happened – did you get hit a bit too hard on your head? A nuclear reaction?"

I rolled my eyes, refusing to offer a glance in his direction. This was the boy that had openly criticized my brother for being… ugh, I couldn't even think about it, it was so horrible. What kind of sicko would find pleasure in something so disgusting and wrong? I think I was going to enjoy keeping up my end of the bargain and giving Gunther-Hagen the timely demise he deserved…

"Well, Max?" Aaron said impatiently. I heaved another sigh.

"It's really none of your business, but for the sake of you leaving me alone, a man named Mr. Chu offered to give our memories back if I killed Gunther-Hagen," I answered curtly, and he gaped at me.

"So, he magically got all your memories back. Just like that."

"Uh-huh," I replied.

Aaron sighed, annoyed by the lack of cooperation that came courtesy of my old-Max-ness. I fought to keep a smirk of my lips.

"Yeah, well good luck killing Gunther-Hagen. I'll be surprised if we even get back into the lab at all – this whole 'rescue mission' seems like a complete waste of time that could cost our families their lives. I don't think it's worth it."

I shot him a glare. "You don't think it's _worth it?"_ I demanded. "After everything that sick monster has done to Iggy, and Fang too?"

Aaron scowled. "Oh, right, I forgot this was all about _Fang,"_ he replied scathingly, and I narrowed my eyes darkly.

"It's about _both_ of them," I said in a dangerous tone. If this guy took a crack at my family one more time, I swear –

"You like him, don't you?" He asked abruptly, his gaze piercing into me for the truth. For a moment, I was stunned. Then I gave him my furious response, hands balled into fists indignantly.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" I nearly shouted, sputtering with anger. "You think that I _like_ Fang? He's my… he's my brother!"

I don't know where the moment of hesitation came from, but I immediately regretted it, as Aaron picked up on my doubt instantly.

"Yeah, _right,"_ he said bitterly. "So, that time you kissed me, you were just leading me on? I should have known. All you care about is _Fang,_ Fang this, Fang that, heck, you were probably thinking about him the whole time you were on 'watch' before I came up here!"

"What's it to you?" I shouted furiously, throwing my hands up in the air. "Why do you _care?_ What, just because I kiss you _once_, when I was still off in la-la land without my memories, you think you _own_ me? And, even if I _did _like Fang, which I don't, it wouldn't matter because I would never like a guy that constantly picked on my brother for being _raped _and then going insane because some evil scientist hurt him enough!"

And with that, I jumped to my feet and spread my wings, taking off into the night sky without another word. I was so furious, I could barely see straight through the red that clouded my vision. That ignorant little jerk! I could've beaten him to a pulp right then and there, if it weren't for the rest of the mutants and Jeb crashing in the room just below.

How could Aaron be so shallow? What, so just because I was upset with him for being so uncompassionate about my brothers' ordeal, he had the right to assume that I _liked_ Fang? And of course saving Iggy and Fang was worth it! I couldn't imagine just leaving any of my flock in danger, especially with a pedophile like Gunther-Hagen. That thought caused me to let out a shudder, imagining what my brothers could be going through at that moment.

"I'll save you both," I said out loud, anger fueling my determination. "And I'll kill that monster for ever laying his filthy hands on you."

_With or without Aaron's consent_…

* * *

"Mmph… Fang?"

I opened my eyes blearily, only to see more blackness, of course. I realized that I had fallen asleep with my head still leaned up against Fang's shoulder, and I blushed slightly, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I heard Fang chuckle quietly.

"Hey, Ig. How're you feeling?"

"Better," I replied, stretching my wings, wincing at how sore the muscles felt after being shoved against the wall last night… "Did you sleep?"

"Nah," he said. "I was… thinking."

I nodded. "Don't think too much," I told him, "it only makes things seem worse."

He let out a dry laugh. "I know."

And then there was nothing left to do but wait. Wait until Gunther-Hagen decided to make his next move, which I was both dreading and anticipating – because that may be our one and only chance to escape, or it could just be another nightmarish night for me. Either way, I was just glad that Fang was there. I knew I couldn't take this alone anymore.

We sat there in tense silence for what seemed like hours – it could have been, I don't know. All I knew was that trying not to think about what was coming next was much harder than I had hoped. I eventually gave up on trying to ignore the fear tugging at the back of my mind, and drew into myself when it took over, paralyzing me.

Who was I kidding, coming back here? Did I really think I could save Fang? I couldn't even save myself. Besides, wasn't being shunned by my family a better option than being Gunther-Hagen's little _toy? _

"Ig, you okay?" Fang asked concernedly, finally breaking the silence. I just nodded, pulling my wings closer around me and hunching over my knees. "I know you're scared."

I was terrified.

"I'm fine, Fang," I told him. "You don't have to keep babying me."

He sighed. "That's a loud of crap, Iggy. I wouldn't 'baby' you if you would just stop being so stubborn. Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because if I don't talk about it, maybe he won't come back," I said quietly, putting my last desperate hopes into words.

"I told you I wouldn't let him hurt you anymore, Ig," Fang told me, "and I meant it."

"You always say that!" I said, burying my face in my hands. "But it doesn't get better, he just keeps coming back, and neither of us can do anything about it, especially me. I can't stop him, I can't…" My voice managed to break, and I regretted saying anything at all. I was sure I had hurt Fang by pointing out how obviously helpless the both of us were.

"Fang, I'm sorry," I said, struggling to keep my voice under control. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better, but… I'm scared."

"I know," he replied softly. "I'm sorry I can't do anything about it."

Suddenly I heard the door swing open, and a voice dripping with poison said, "Don't be sorry, Fang. You know I take _such_ good care of Igneous, there's no need to worry."

I sat stone still, hardly aware of my trembling hands as I focused on the man stalking towards me, terror canceling out all other thought. I was vaguely aware of Fang growling something at Gunther-Hagen, but I wasn't listening to anything but the monster's breathing.

"Igneous, why look so afraid?" He said, chuckling venomously. "If it makes you feel better, I'm not here for you this time."

My erratic breath hitched in my throat, and for a moment, I was confused. And then it dawned on me – he was here for _Fang_.

"No," I said pleadingly. "Please, don't hurt him, do whatever you want with me, just don't hurt him, please."

"Be quiet, you worthless freak," he snapped, "Fang is coming with me. I have some final business to take care of before I'm ready to create my last batch of clones."

* * *

"Let me go!"

I was being dragged down the halls of Gunther-Hagen's lab by two Erasers, who were regarding my struggling with faintly amused expressions. I had no idea what the doctor had planned for me, and I wondered with a pang of fear if he'd finally decided to simply kill me and get me out of the way.

As it turns out, all he wanted was a syringe-full of my infamous bird-kid blood. He jabbed the hypodermic metal into my arm, practically sending the needle-phoebe in me into hysterics, and then he was done with me.

I was anxious to get back to Iggy, but Gunther-Hagen had something else in mind. "I would like for you to meet someone, Fang," he said with a smirk as I was dragged from the small lab room, "a very lovely young girl I'm quite fond of. I used to have so much fun with her… but, since I have to use her for bribing purposes, I decided our _activities_ were too much of a strain on her, so I had to put her in storage. It's a shame, but I've found Igneous to be an excellent replacement."

I was disgusted, confused, and surprised at the same time. That poor girl… what the heck did he mean by 'put her in storage' – was she some kind of object? And I was surprised to find that a girl had suffered the same abuse that Iggy had – in all honesty, I'd thought Gunther-Hagen was gay. Apparently it didn't matter to him what gender his victims were, as long as they were minors. Ugh.

The Erasers forced me down the halls to a metal door, which slid open when Gunther-Hagen punched a code into the keypad on the wall. I was shoved inside, and the door immediately closed behind me.

Glancing around, I saw that I was in what looked like a very dull prison bedroom – there was a twin-size metal bed that gleamed under the florescent lights (Gunther-Hagen was at least decent enough to provide a mattress and pillow), a toilet, sink, and dingy mirror, as well as a tiny barred slit window near the ceiling, allowing just a glimpse of the clouds outside. But the room appeared to be vacant…

I jumped when I heard a soft whimper from behind the bed, and I cautiously made my way over there to see a girl huddled in the corner. She looked like she could have been my age, maybe a little younger – but she looked small by how thin she was, and she must have been at least a foot shorter than me. She had distinctly Asian features, with ebony hair that hung limply over her shoulders and dark eyes that stared at me fearfully. I gazed back at her, feeling overwhelming pity for what she had to go through. I quickly introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Fang," I said softly. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

The girl seemed to relax slightly, and she nodded. "My name is Tori," she said with a thick accent, tilting her head slightly.

I couldn't think how to reply, so for the sake of conversation I said, "That's a nice name."

She smiled, and I noticed how the corners of her narrow eyes crinkled, making them seem even smaller. "Arigato. It means 'bird' in Japanese."

The Avian part of me was interested. "That's cool. You like birds?"

She nodded, and reached toward her neck, pulling out a necklace that was hanging beneath her shirt. I saw that attached to it was a small silver bird pendant with jade eyes. "My mother gave me this when I was little," she explained, and an expression of immense sadness crossed her face. "She was killed."

"Killed?" I repeated questioningly.

"By Him."

A shudder ran through her thin frame, and I knew instantly that she meant Gunther-Hagen. I felt furious that he would ruin this girl's life to such an extent as to murder her family. I gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry," was all I could think to say. Then I added, "He killed one of my friends, too. He hurts my brother. I couldn't do anything for either of them."

She gave me a knowing look. "You're one of the bird mutants, aren't you? H-He to told me about you."

"Yeah," I replied, stretching my wings slightly for her to see. She took in the dark feathers with an awed, fascinated expression.

"They are very beautiful," she told me softly, and I felt myself blush a little. My wings, beautiful? Aw, shucks.

"Uh, thanks," I said, and she gave me a wide smile.

Then it seemed like she'd just thought of something else, and the smile quickly faded. "That means… your brother, he…"

"Gunther-Hagen told you about him too?" I asked. She nodded, and I was surprised to see tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said. "No one else should have to go through what I did."

"Iggy's tough," I said automatically. "He's taken worse before."

Wow, that sounded really insensitive. I felt guilty when she didn't look at all reassured, so I added, "Hey, it's alright. Really. This is no one's fault but Gunther-Hagen's. Don't worry about it."

She nodded. "I guess you're right. I've just… had a lot to think about over the past month."

"I know what you mean," I said truthfully. "But… try not to over think things. 'Cause it only makes things worse."

"Who told you that?" She asked.

"Someone who over thinks a lot," I replied with a sigh.

* * *

**I apologize for the really crappy ending and/or chapter. But, in my defense, I wrote most of this on a mild fever. Ugh, feeling achy and lightheaded right now, been sneezing all afternoon… not fun, people.**

**Please review… I'm gonna go lie down now…**


	50. Confusion

**WHOOT! 50th chapter, baby! That's halfway to a HUNDRED (but this fic won't be nearly that long, so don't anyone get their hopes up - or down, depending on your perspective and liking for this story, I suppose...). I'm sorry it's a few days late, but it's extra-long, I promise.**

**POVs: Aaron, Fang, and then… another surprise. ;) **

**WARNING: Well, I think telling you guys this is pointless, but I know some people are particular about this stuff – the following chapter will include some very mild, one-sided slash, not from any of the characters previously in the fic, and mostly just in this chapter. So, if you don't like this, feel free to skip the last POV (which would be a shame, since you'd be missing quite a bit of important stuff), and feel extremely un-free to flame me for it. Thank you.**

* * *

_~ Chapter 50 – Confusion ~_

* * *

I waited on the roof for Max's return. Hours I sat there refusing sleep, thinking about all that she had said. I stared off into the darkness, watching for the moment she would materialize through it and sit back down beside me, so we could finish talking things over.

I waited all night.

As dawn began to creep up over the horizon and my eyelids felt weighed down by exhaustion, I knew that she wasn't coming back. Max, with her strong will and short temper, was surely out there somewhere, getting a head start on completing the journey we'd started. She thought she could save Iggy and Fang all on her own. Well, fine with me! If she died out there, it was her own stupid fault.

And yet, as angry as I was with Max, I knew that we had to go after her. I couldn't live with myself if I let this one careless decision put her in danger. I had to go alert the rest.

"Wake up, guys!" I yelled as I ran back into the building, finding everyone awake and moving groggily to pack up the few supplies we'd brought with us. Most of them regarded me with an irritated glance, but Amber, Axel, Arabel and her twin all shot me steely glares, before dropping their packs and heading towards me.

"What's up, Aaron?" Axel asked coldly, a completely uncharacteristic tone for him.

"Max is gone," I answered, "She took off last night, and she never came back."

Arabel snorted. "Good for her. At least _she's_ finally seeing sense."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked edgily.

"We heard you and Max's little argument last night," Amber said, ignoring my question. "And we agree with her."

Immediately, a red-hot wave of fury swept through me. They _agreed_ with her? So, what, they were saying I was wrong? They'd always listened to me before, and now they were pulling their opinions from some… some family of feathered bird-kids, that got us into this whole mess in the first place. What about me? _I_ had always been the one that looked after them, fed them, kept them safe. What kind of cruel mutiny was this?

"You agree with her?" I repeated, my eyes flashing with rage. "Are you _defying_ my leadership?"

"Listen, Aaron," Axel said angrily, "I don't know why you've been off in jerksville ever since we brought Iggy and Fang back from the lab, but if you keep up with this crap, no one's gonna listen to you anymore."

"Yeah?" I replied. "Well, I know better than all of you – or do you not remember voting me to be leader? So why don't you just shut up and listen!"

"You know, Aaron," Arabel spat, "It must get real lonely, being the only one who can think for yourself."

"Well, that's sure how you guys make it seem!" I yelled. "I'm the only one with any sense left around here!"

"So, you don't deny anything you said about Iggy?" Amber demanded. "You think that was the _sensible_ way to treat him?"

"He was insane!" I shouted exasperatedly. "How else would I have reacted? He could've hurt one of the kids, and… he slept with _guy!"_

The punch came out of nowhere. One second, Aro had been standing there silently by his sister, and the next his fist had collided with my face, sending me toppling to the floor. I sat up dazedly, feeling blood trickling from my nose and seeing Aro glaring at me fiercely.

"Shut up!" He yelled. "It wasn't his fault, okay? Why can't you get that through your thick head?"

"Come on, guys," Amber said, putting a hand on Aro's shoulder, who looked quite ready to attack me again. She didn't even look in my direction. "Let's just leave him. He's obviously too good for the flock now, anyway."

Then she turned to the others, who had been watching us with wide eyes. "We're going to follow Max, and help her rescue Iggy, Fang and the clone. Jeb and the kids should stay here and wait for us to get back – we know from last time how dangerous it is at the lab. Besides, we had too many people to keep track of and worry about. Ari, will you come with us?"

"Yeah," Ari said, standing up quickly. "I know how to fly the helicopter."

"Great," Amber replied, offering him a brief smile. "Jeb, if we're not back in the next couple days…"

"We'll find a way to get to you," he said.

And with that, Amber and Ari grabbed a couple packs of supplies, and the five of them walked out the door to leave. I heard the copter start up outside, and they were gone.

I got a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach, and, this time, it wasn't from the plaguing hunger I experienced on a daily basis. I had just lost four members of my pack.

What had I said to make them hate me like this? They were my family; I thought I could tell them anything… I always had before, and they had always listened. What had changed?

This was all the flock's fault. It was the pack that had changed, because of _them_. If it weren't for the bird-kids, we would never have had to sacrifice so much. We would still be a comfortable, happy family, living in our nice safe house (that had probably been destroyed by Erasers by now).

Stupid Iggy! Stupid Fang! _Stupid Max!_

All three of them were nightmares. For one, Iggy had started off nice enough – I had actually liked him a lot. Now, I couldn't label him with anything other than disgust. And Fang… he'd taken her from me. I'd liked her so much, we related so well… and he snatched her right out of my hands!

But, really, it was all her fault. _Max_. She had _defended_ him, _both_ of them. She turned my family against me. She kissed me; lead me on, only to throw me away, for _him_. It wasn't right - it was cruel! How could she do this to me?

_Max_, I thought bitterly, _I hate you. You, and your whole stupid flock! You ruined my life!_

* * *

"So… how did you end up here, Tori? Are you one of Gunther-Hagen's experiments?"

We were sitting together on her bed, which felt about as cozy as solid brick. She had gotten completely comfortable with me, and I was more than willing to trust her back. Of course, I was still worried about Iggy and I missed him, but it was nice to just relax with this girl. This sounds stupid, but… she felt like home, somehow.

"No," she replied, shaking her head, a haunted look in her eyes. "He kidnapped us. My mother and I. He told my father he would return us unharmed if he would do something for him…"

"But he didn't do it," I said assumingly. Once again, she shook her head.

"He did," she said sadly, "that's the whole tragedy of it. He did something for Gunther-Hagen, something bad… he didn't want to do it, but he forced himself to, for us. And then… and then he just killed her anyway. And I am left anything but 'unharmed'."

There were tears in her eyes, and she cradled her head in her hands. I laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, and in a broken voice she muttered something in Japanese. _"Watashi wa, jizoku dekirunoni dono kurai jikan ga kakaru no chichi o shiranai."_

"What was that?" I asked gently.

"I'm just tired of waiting for my father to rescue me," she replied with a sniffle. "I've been here for months… I don't know how much more I can take."

"Hey," I said, pulling her hands away from her face, and she looked up at me with pink, puffy eyes. "Listen, we're going to get out of here. I'll figure something out, and when I do, I'm taking you and Iggy with me. We can beat this thing, I promise."

Tori wiped her eyes, and gave me a smile. "Thank you, Fang. I… I trust you."

I offered her a small smile back. "I know."

I had two people counting on me now. I wouldn't let Tori or Iggy down – that was a promise… that I planned to keep this time, one way or another.

* * *

"Hey, runt. That's my seat."

I looked up at the Eraser looming over me, fangs bared menacingly as he staked out his property. I glanced around the mess hall, noting that I sat alone at a completely empty table.

"There are plenty of other seats," I observed evenly, again meeting his bloodthirsty eyes.

"Yeah?" He snarled, glaring at me. "Then why don't you find one?" And, with that, he fisted his claws in my shirt and hurled me from the bench where I'd been sitting. I took a hard landing on the linoleum floor, my head banging back against the wall, and I had to bite my lip to keep from letting out a groan of pain.

"Hn." The Eraser took his seat in my place with a smug grin, pushing away the tray of food I'd been picking at for a good twenty minutes before he interrupted.

I sighed. Ever since I arrived (or rather, popped into existence) this morning, I'd been constantly bullied and harassed around here. It came as no surprise, seeing how much I stuck out from the other clones. I was a freak. All those other robo-copies, I wasn't like them. _I_ had a soul – though this was a fact I hid meticulously from Gunther-Hagen's eyes. I learned very early on in life that the punishment for personality in clones was harsh and severe. And, of course, my appearance was a contributing factor as well – none of the other clones I had seen had dark hair and raven wings.

Gunther-Hagen told me that this anomaly, this other-ness was all intentional. Used different DNA, he said. He told me I was meant to be stronger than them, those other clones.

Well, I guess that made me a failure.

I wasn't half as strong as them. My brain was defected – otherwise, why would I feel such obvious emotion, something that was forbidden among clones since the failure of the very first prototype? Didn't that make me a failure, too?

_Might as well get up_, I told myself. _You weren't hungry, anyway_.

I pulled myself to my feet, making a beeline for the exit. I was relieved as soon as I found myself alone – it was so much quieter here. I would even call it peaceful, if it weren't for the nauseating smell of antiseptic and the faraway muffled cries of other experiments. I began wandering the halls aimlessly, not bothering to make note of where I was going (though I at least had the sense to avoid the Eraser's barracks).

I became absorbed in my thoughts – mostly dwelling on how I would conceal my individuality from Gunther-Hagen and the others. If the Erasers noticed any difference, they made no mention of it, but I knew the other clones wouldn't hesitate to sell me out. I was so lost in thinking, I almost didn't realize it when I walked right into someone who'd been standing in the hall outside an office.

"Oh, s-sorry sir, excuse me," I stammered, and I felt myself pale when I saw the man turn, recognizing him instantly as Dr. Gunther-Hagen. He looked down at me, his face spreading into a wide Cheshire grin.

"Not a problem," he said in a sickly sweet voice. The look in his eyes made me want to turn right around and run the other way, but I didn't let anything slip through my emotionless façade. "Actually, I was just about to start looking for you."

"For me?" I said, startled. I mentally smacked my forehead for letting my voice raise and octave.

"Yes. Tell me, how would you like to do me a small favor?"

A favor? What kind of favor could this scientist possibly ask of me, who was a little under a day old and barely hanging on as it was? I was about to ask him just that, but caught myself – clones didn't ask questions. They simply did without hesitation or reservations.

"Yes sir," I answered flatly, carefully avoiding any inflection to my words as I had heard the other clones do. "Whatever you need."

His grin only widened, if that were possible. "I was hoping you would say that." And without another word, he took me by the shoulder and steered me into his office, sitting me down in one of the hard chairs placed in front of his desk. He then took his seat in front of me, placing his hands on the polished surface of his desk and regarding me the way a hungry carnivore would it's prey. I waited patiently for him to give me an order, prepared for anything as long as it meant getting away from him as quickly as possible.

Prepared for anything, that is, except for what he was about to suggest.

"I need you to rape Igneous," he said simply, drumming his fingers on his desk, watching me with an expression of faint amusement.

It was all I could do not to let my jaw drop to the floor in horror. He wanted me to _what? _No, he couldn't possibly want me to… to… oh, gosh. _Rape?_

I eventually came to my senses and swallowed the lump in my throat, wiping my face clear of emotion, while thoughts continued to buzz hysterically through my head. _Is he serious? I can't! I won't!_

"I… me, sir? Couldn't it be one of the others?" _Anyone else! I can't do this! You've got the wrong guy!_

He just laughed. "Of course not," he replied, "I thought I created you to be intelligent. No, because none of _the others_ look like you; or, rather, none of them look like Fang. It has to be you."

Of course. Wasn't that how it's been since I existed? I was always singled out. It was always me.

"How…?" How could I go through with this? How could I, to someone that had never done anything to me and, from what little I had heard, had already gone through Hell in this place?

Gunther-Hagen smirked. "I will take you to his cell. You will pretend to be Fang, his brother. And, from there… do what needs to be done."

Do what needs to be done. It sounded so simple; but I knew it would take more than a few words to convince me. This man was out of his mind!

"And… and if I can't do it…?" I asked, hoping against hope for some loophole, any alternative.

"Then I'll have your fellow clones tear you apart," he said unconcernedly. "Are we clear?"

I nodded, feeling a heavy weight of dread sinking in my stomach. "Yes, sir."

There was no escaping it, then. Do or die. I had little choice.

I felt like I was on death row as I followed the doctor from his office. Down the halls. By the time we reached the elevator, it took all the willpower I had not to bolt for the exit. Never mind the risks – let this guy send a whole pack of his mutated lapdogs after me. Anything to escape what I would be forced to do.

"Here we are, then," Gunther-Hagen said as I the silver doors slid open again, and he immediately walked up to another thick metal door in the hall, pulling a jumble of keys from his pocket. My feet seemed glued to the spot. _Move_, I commanded myself, gritting my teeth. _It's not that hard. Move!_

I reluctantly stepped out of the elevator and approached the door as the doctor slid a key into the lock, and I heard a faint _click_ as it turned. _This is it, _I thought despairingly. _Say goodbye to your pride, your innocence. _

And then he opened the door, and I my gaze landed on the figure inside, and I knew. I knew this was going to be a hundred times harder than I'd thought.

Those eyes. A nearly colorless milky blue, opened wide and full of fear, somehow locked on mine though clearly sightless. Iggy was huddled in the back of the dark room, his wrists encircled in chains, magnificent wings outstretched around him. He looked terrified, vulnerable. This was not a clone, not some impersonating copy. No. No, this was someone entirely different, on a whole other scale.

Because I was sure I'd never seen anyone so perfect in my life. He was…

Wait, what? What was I thinking?

_Quit messing around_, I told myself. But I couldn't shake the strange idea from my mind.

"Good to see you today, Igneous," Gunther-Hagen said pleasantly, and Iggy's eyes shifted to the general direction of the doctor beside me, the fearful expression never wavering. "I'm sure you'll be delighted to know I've brought Fang with me."

Iggy's eyes lit up, and his tense muscles seemed to relax just slightly. "Fang?" He said, his voice sounding both worried and relieved.

_Pretend to be Fang_. Gunther-Hagen's words echoed in my head, so I replied, "Yeah, Iggy. It's me."

"Well, I think I'll just let you two be, then," Gunther-Hagen said, giving me a creepy wink. "Have fun…"

And he was gone. I was alone with Iggy and the impossible task hanging over my head. Oh, someone save me…

"Fang!" Iggy said, all fear having vanished from his expression, replaced by concern. "You okay, man? What did he do to you?"

"Uh…" _Think! Think! Dang it, stop staring at him and say something!_ "Just a few tests. It was nothing, really." _Okay, doing good so far… now if you can just bring yourself to do the rest, you're golden._

Yeah, right.

"Something wrong?" Iggy asked softly. His eyes had begun piercing into mine again – it was unsettling, but I couldn't bring myself to turn away.

"No," I replied quickly, "of course not."

Iggy didn't look convinced. "Something's definitely bothering you," he persisted. "Just tell me, Fang. You can tell me anything."

_Oh, alright then. Well, I'm a bit depressed since the first day of my life hasn't been going as great as I'd hoped, you know, due to Gunther-Hagen forcing me to rape you and all. Speaking of which, I hope there's no hard feelings, I just really would rather not die today and end up having a total lifespan of less than twenty-four hours. _"Nothing's wrong, Iggy. Just forget it."

He didn't seem satisfied with my answer, but he just shrugged and said, "Okay, Fang."

When his gaze was turned elsewhere, I found myself looking at him intently – studying his features and the way his strawberry-blonde bangs hung across his blind eyes, memorizing the pattern of his feathers. For some reason, I couldn't tear my eyes away. He was so…

"Fang?" Iggy said, interrupting my daze. "Are you sure you're okay? You're staring at me."

I felt a blush creep onto my face. How did he know that? And why the heck was I staring at him! "Well, I was just… I… I don't know!" I stammered, giving myself a mental smack in the face for acting this way. What the heck was wrong with me?

Iggy got that worried look on his face again. "Gunther-Hagen didn't do anything to you? You're sure?"

"I'm sure," I replied with a sigh. What could I say to satisfy this guy? "It's just, you know… tests. Needles. People in lab coats."

Iggy finally relaxed, an understanding expression replacing concern. He gave me a sympathetic look. "Oh. I'm sorry, Fang."

And then he put his hand on my shoulder. It was just a casual friendly gesture, but I went completely stiff. He was touching me. I didn't know why this would be a problem; no, it wasn't a problem. Not at all. So why was I blushing like crazy?

_Maybe I have a fever, or something_, I told myself. Of course, it hadto be. Nothing else could possibly explain why I felt like this.

"Well, if you're alright, I'm gonna get some sleep, okay?" Iggy said, removing his hand from my shoulder and curling up on the floor.

"Sure," I mumbled, and watched as Iggy pulled his wings close around him. Within a few minutes, his breathing had become deep and regular. He was sound asleep.

As much as I tried to avoid the matter, my mind kept reverting back to "what needs to be done". I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. After meeting Iggy, seeing him, talking to him… it seemed impossible, just too painful. I couldn't.

But I couldn't forget Gunther-Hagen's words, either. _Then I'll have your fellow clones tear you apart_… I didn't want to die yet; I couldn't, not on my first day of life! There was so much more to this than what was here in the lab, I knew it. And I didn't want to miss out on that, a whole world out there just waiting for me… no, I couldn't give that up. I had to do this.

_I'll do it while he's asleep_, I thought grimly.

I tried not to think about what I was doing as I approached him quietly; I didn't know how I could possibly pull this off without waking him up, but I could sure as heck try. I started carefully working at undoing his jeans, feeling disgusted with myself. I just finished slipping his pants off when I saw him begin stirring awake. _Crap, crap, crap! What now?_

I held my breath as his eyes blinked open, and he gave me a disoriented look. "Fang? What…" he muttered groggily, and he must have noticed his jeans were missing, because he blushed slightly, looking even more confused. "Fang… what the heck are you –"

Without thinking, on some insane impulse, I leaned over him and crushed my lips on his, cutting him off. I heard him give a startled squeak of surprise, and he froze. I didn't know what I was doing. All I could think in that moment was, _this isn't so bad._

But I realized Iggy still hadn't moved, and I pulled away quickly, watching his reaction and thinking, _what the heck did I just do? Am I crazy? What the heck possessed me to kiss him? _As for Iggy, he didn't look mad, or disgusted. Just very confused… and a little scared.

"… Fang?" He croaked, not daring to move. "What's going on?"

"I…" I honestly had no idea. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, or why I had kissed him like that. I felt just as confused as he was.

Looking back at Iggy, seeing his face made so familiar by the clones, and yet so very different now as he stared up at me with fear and confusion in his eyes, I knew what I had to do.

"Fang…"

"I'm not Fang!" I blurted out, sure of Gunther-Hagen watching me at that very moment through one of his cameras. No going back now.

"What…?" Iggy said, by now completely bewildered.

"I'm not Fang," I repeated, "I'm his clone."

"Then what are you –"

"Gunther-Hagen forced me to come and pretend I was him," I interrupted hurriedly, hoping to explain as quickly as possible, before the doctor had someone sent to stop me. "He told me to… to rape you, or he would kill me. But I'm gonna help you escape. Now here, put these on! Quickly!" I tossed him his jeans, and he got dressed in a daze. As soon as he was finished, I used what clone-strength I had to break his chains, and yanked him to his feet, pulling him through the door and into the elevator. Miraculously, the hall was empty when the doors slid open again three floors up, the level I knew the real Fang to be (word traveled fast around the lab).

"Come on!" I hissed as I ran down the halls, dragging Iggy along with me, who seemed to have finally snapped out of his tired, confused stupor. We raced around a corner, and I instantly spotted the door the other clones had told me about. "There!"

There was a combination lock, but I had overheard an Eraser in passing say that every single one of these locks used the same code.

"6, 3, 7, 4, 3, 2, 6…" I muttered under my breath as I punched the numbers in, and lo and behold, there was a little _beep_ and the metal door slid open.

"Iggy!" I heard someone shout as we rushed into the room, and I realized it was Fang – the _real_ Fang. He pulled Iggy into a hug, and when he looked up and saw me, I thought his eyes would bulge out of their sockets. "What the –"

"No time to explain!" I shouted, ushering everyone out of the room, including a Japanese girl I'd never met, and pulling them back through the halls, hoping to find an exit before Gunther-Hagen found us. "I'm breaking you guys out of here!"

Good deed for the day: check. Now, let's focus on not getting killed.

* * *

**Yay! Yet another OC thrown into the mix – I have no idea what his name will be, so suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!**

**Reviews = love. :)**


	51. End

**Hey guys. Well, I'm sorry that this update is late. I don't have much of an excuse… I just needed a break. **

**By the way, I've decided to cut this fic a little shorter than I planned. I had kind of a reality check recently: my brother (who has a habit of stretching the truth a lot) told me that my parents were planning on permanently banning me from Fanfic very soon. I won't lie – I locked myself in my room and cried for hours (something I never, ever do – it was pretty ridiculous, people). I was fully (and very reluctantly) prepared to drop everything, when I found out that this was in fact **_**not**_** true. I will continue to have a Fanfiction account, and I can finish my fic.**

**But, I gave it a lot of thought, and decided that as long as I'm writing a major fanfiction story, my life is pretty much at a standstill. I have an original story fully planned out that I haven't started yet, I'm putting it off until this fic is finished. Well, if I can get that written, there's a chance it would be published and I could start on my dream career as a professional author. So, I decided that as much as I love Iggy and all the other characters here, and of course I love you guys for all the support and getting my writing career started, I'm really ready to move on. I might have some oneshots and stuff after this, but it's time to dedicate my talents to something that could actually earn me a living. I hope you all understand.**

**Okay, sorry for that novel of an author's note – on with the chapter. POVs: Ari, Iggy, Fang, and then Max. **

**By the way (last announcement, I promise), this will be the second-to-last chapter – the next will be an epilogue, to help close this thing out a little smoother. I'm sorry for making the ending so abrupt, but I will pour out all my heart and skill into making this satisfying enough for you. Well, enjoy. :)**

* * *

_~ Chapter 51 – End ~_

* * *

"Ari, I see her!"

Ari looked to where Amber pointed, and he finally caught a glimpse of Max flitting through the clouds up ahead. She was going _fast_ – it was a miracle they had ever caught up to her, even at the record speed he was pushing the helicopter to fly. He guessed she was just as eager to get Iggy and Fang back as they were.

"Great. We need to catch her attention," Ari said, getting a firmer grip on the helicopter controls. "Hold on, kitties." He accelerated and made a wild swerve toward Max, barely managing not to chop her to bits as he came to a short stop in front of her, cutting her off (don't try at home, kids).

Ari could faintly hear her shriek of surprise as she backpedaled through the air to avoid crashing into the rotating blades, initially reacting with a fierce snarl, which then melted into a relieved expression when she recognized them.

"Max!" Axel cried as he slid back the side door, but she hesitated on climbing inside. "Aaron isn't with us!" He assured her, and she immediately swooped through the entrance, rolling a little on the metal floor but making an otherwise easy landing.

"Guys!" She exclaimed, rubbing the back of her head where it had apparently hit the side of the helicopter, and accepting Axel's hand outstretched to help her up. "How did you find me?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, we figured we were on the right track when we saw your picture all over the news when we passed over Time Square," Arabel said casually. "What'd you do, rob a bank?"

"A Wendy's, actually," Max replied, "but I guess when you're a freaky winged mutant, the media compromises their priorities."

"Well, I'm glad we caught up with you," Amber said, turning around in her seat up front to face Max. "I was worried you'd march right into the lab on your own if we didn't catch you in time."

Max nodded resolutely. "Anything to get my brothers back."

Amber smiled. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."

"Yeah," Max agreed. "Me too."

The rest of the flight was spent planning. They decided that they would land on the outskirts of the island, and immediately make their way toward the lab. From there, everyone would enter through a secluded entrance that was very scarcely guarded, due to an alarm on the door (luckily, Ari knew the code to disable it). Then, it was straight to finding Iggy, Fang and that clone runt, and booking it for the exit – they would fight tooth and nail to get them out if necessary.

Max also mentioned releasing the other experiments inside, to which the pack wholeheartedly agreed; Ari thought it was a stretch, but if it were possible, he would like to see everyone set free from that nightmarish place. And, of course, Max planned to keep her vow to kill Gunther-Hagen. As much as Ari wanted to shred the doctor to pieces himself, he knew from experience not to get in the way of a determined bird-kid, under any circumstances.

Night had fallen when they finally reached the island. Ari landed the helicopter discretely on some large rocks strewn on the edge of the beach, and they trekked through the woods in silence. Soon the looming white walls of the lab were in view, standing out against the darkened sky, surrounded by electrified chain link. Ari opened the back gate, careful not to alert any guards that may be patrolling of their presence, and ushered everyone to the emergency door they had discussed. He punched in the code, and they were through.

Simple. But Ari knew better than anyone that the easy part was getting in – the real challenge was getting back _out_.

Before them was a long flight of metal staircases – the fire escape. _A fire_, Ari thought mischievously. _That would give these scientists something to talk about… _They climbed the stairs until they reached another door, which Ari knew lead to a hallway on the second floor. He threw it open without hesitation, and raced out to find something that made his heart skip a beat.

There, surrounded by a dozen of identical copies of Iggy, stood Fang, _another_ Fang, a girl Ari had never seen before, and who he assumed was Iggy himself.

"You will not escape," the clones droned, pressing in closer, malevolent glares on their otherwise blank faces.

Time to kick into fighting gear.

* * *

Okay, I've had quite a few weird days in my short life (being a mutant freak and all), but this one pretty much tops the list.

I was still kind of getting over the thought of my own brother kissing me, who turned out actually _not_ being my brother, but some clone – and now this. "You will not escape," I heard a chorus of myself say in flat, almost mechanical voices, as the clones continued to pres in. _Looks like I'm going to be killed by me, _I thought mirthlessly. _Just what I always wanted, right?_

"Leave us alone!" Fang shouted beside me – or maybe it was his clone. I also heard some girl muttering something frightfully in Japanese. What the heck was going on? It was times like these when I especially craved sight. _Yeah, because this happens so often. All the time._

"You heard him!" someone barked in a familiar gruff voice. "Leave 'em alone!" Was that…?

_Bang_. The sound of gunfire resonated through the hall, and the clones went into frenzy as they tried to avoid the bullets. Most were unsuccessful, and judging from the fleshy thuds I heard, someone was taking out the rest by force.

"Guys!" Fang shouted (I'm pretty sure it was the real one this time), and I could only assume the others had come to save us. I felt an immense wave of gratitude wash over me for my friends, and even greater relief in thinking how, if we made it out of this alive, I would never have to face Gunther-Hagen again. Fang's clone had promised that when we first made a run for it, but now it was much closer to a guarantee.

Grinning in this moment of happiness, I jumped into the fight. Would you believe me if I said I missed it? The adrenalin, the excitement, the ease that came with fighting – it was all so natural, practically routine for how often we ran into trouble in the life of a couple months ago. Throwing punches at the clones aimed by ear, using the techniques Jeb and Max had taught me, it was almost… comforting.

Despite the clones' strength, the combined experience and force of the pack, Ari, Fang and I was enough to take them down easily. Of course, the fight had caused enough of a ruckus to send half the occupants of the lab our way very soon, so Ari ordered for us to make a run for the exit. Instinctively grabbing for Fang's belt loop (or maybe it was his clone's, I couldn't tell the difference – but I could really care less at that point), I let him lead the way down the hall, following the others.

"Wait, what about the kids?" I heard Arabel shout as we ran, and Ari muttered a curse under his breath.

"We passed them – I don't know if we'll make it," he said, but I shook my head.

"No," I insisted, "we have to. We can't just leave them here!"

It had been steadily gnawing at the back of my mind ever since that horrific day in the White Room, dominating my nightmares when I was asleep. I would never forget the way those kids had looked at me, right before they died… right before _I killed them_…

"Please!" I pleaded, and Ari sighed.

"Fine," he relented, "but you'll be cutting it close. Are you prepared to take on this whole facility for those mutant kids?"

"I owe them," I said. "I'll owe them till every last one of them is free."

Ari seemed to understand. "Alright," he said, "I know a shortcut. This way!" Fang/his clone pulled me around a sharp turn as we followed Ari down the halls, and we eventually came to a door where screaming could be clearly heard from the outside.

_This is it, _I thought, remembering those first days in a cage surrounded by the insane children. Now that I had briefly been down that road myself, I held no more fear in facing them – I didn't hesitate in throwing open the door and rushing to the first crate I found, quickly working the latch and letting the poor kid out. He must have vaguely remembered me from last time I attempted this, and the tiny boy crawled into my lap and just whimpered and shook as he clung to my shirt.

"Shhh," I comforted like I would Angel or Gazzy when he was younger, holding the trembling boy close as I quickly moved on to the next crate, releasing that kid, and so on, aided by Amber and Fang. I could tell the rest were reluctant, opting for standing guard outside – I guess I couldn't really blame them; it had taken me some courage my first time confronting these kids, too. But now my sympathy and empathy for what they were going through, experimented on, their minds driven just over the brink of sanity was too great to ignore. I was determined to set every one of them free – I owed them that much.

"That's all of them, Iggy," Fang informed me when everyone was out of their cages, and we ushered a dozen scared kids into the hall. But there was one, one petrified little girl that wouldn't leave the room – she was huddled in a corner, sobbing, probably terrified of being dragged off to another experiment. I tried to coax her out, but she only screamed when I touched her.

"Come on, runt, we have to go!" Ari shouted. "We've got company!"

Sure enough, I heard heavy footsteps not too far away, quickly approaching. I made a split-second decision, and I knew instantly what I had to do.

"Go," I ordered them, the urgency clear in my voice. "Take the kids and leave. Hurry!"

"Iggy –" Fang began, but I cut him off.

"I'll catch up – go!"

I heard him reluctantly take off after the others, slowed down slightly by the pair of kids in his arms, and I was alone with the little girl.

"Hey," I said gently, crouching down to her level, heartbroken at hearing her cry that way. "It's alright, you don't have to be scared. I'm getting you out of here. I'll take you with me, and we'll both be free from this place – okay?"

"That's quite wishful thinking, Igneous – you really ought to be more realistic."

I spun around, feeling dread flood through me at hearing the voice of the man I feared most, my tormentor during weeks and weeks of confinement. Gunther-Hagen chuckled darkly, and I could practically see the smirk playing on his lips.

But I wouldn't let him touch her. This girl had suffered enough.

"Shouldn't you be off playing with your clones?" I said, but underneath the sarcasm, my voice wavered.

"Oh, but I'd much rather play with you, Igneous," he said in a sickly sweet tone, stepping closer. I could feel his rancid breath hitting my cheek, and I shuddered.

_No, don't shut down now, you have to be strong_, I ordered myself, but I could already feel my resolve melting with fear. Gunther-Hagen always had the upper hand with me, no matter how hard I tried to resist that terror I felt whenever he was around. I was disgusted that I could be so weak, when that little girl was counting on me, depending on me to get her home.

_I have to try_, I thought, steeling up my courage. _For the girl. _

With those words in mind, I drew back my fist and hurled a punch at Gunther-Hagen, managing to hit him square in the nose; I felt satisfied when I heard the bones crush.

"Aurgh!" The doctor howled in pain, and I didn't hesitate to hit him again, this time in the gut. When he was doubled over, I brought up my knee and slammed it between his legs. I guess he wouldn't be hurting me again any time soon…

"You little monster!" Gunther-Hagen wheezed, from what I presumed to be a crumpled heap on the floor. My triumphant grin vanished, however, when I heard that deadly _click_.

"You're time's run out, Igneous," the doctor said coldly, as he aimed the gun at my head. "You are no longer of use to me."

* * *

We had just rushed out of the building with the kids when Amber whirled around and said in a panicked voice, "Where's Max?"

"Max?" I asked incredulously, surprised that she had even bothered tagging along for this rescue mission.

"She must be off looking for Gunther-Hagen," Ari said, a frustrated scowl on his face.

"Why would she be looking for him?" I asked as we ran. When I saw the fence ahead of me, I unfurled my wings and cleared it easily; I made sure to land carefully so as not to drop the two kids that had latched onto my neck, holding on for dear life.

"She promised to kill him," Arabel replied, racing after Ari who had unlocked the gate to let the pack through. "That was the deal, to get her memories back."

"_What?"_

"Some guy just gave the whole flock their memories, like magic," Axel explained as he crashed through the forest beside me, carrying one of the older mutants piggyback style.

I gaped at him. Max had her memories back. She was her old self again – she was _my_ Max again.

In an instant, I knew what I had to do.

"Here – take them!" I shouted, handing the kids off to Ari, who looked startled as the toddlers clung to his shirt. I took to the air in an instant, doing a one-eighty to bolt back over the fence and hurtle myself toward the building. I was flying so fast I thought I would be forced to make a not so gentle landing, but I was able to do a tuck-and-roll and start running again. I dashed through the door and raced through the halls in search of Max, praying I wasn't too late to reach her before…

Gunther-Hagen. I caught a glimpse him as I passed the room where I'd left Iggy, and I skidded to a halt, rushing back to confirm. Yes. He had a gun – and it was pointed directly at Iggy's head, who stood motionless, hardly daring to make a sound. _No_…

He couldn't. Not Iggy. He just couldn't do it. Because I knew, I knew as sure as the pounding heartbeat in my chest that it would kill me too.

"Iggy!" I shouted in a panic, and his sightless eyes flickered to me, displaying a silent, helpless plea. Gunther-Hagen turned as well, and he laughed harshly at my heart wrenched expression.

"So nice of you to join us, Fang," he said with a wicked grin. Anger boiled in my blood, mingling with the fear I felt for Iggy in this situation. That man killed Icarus – but he would _not_ kill my brother.

"Drop the gun," I said fiercely, "Or I swear –"

"You'll kill me?" Gunther-Hagen interjected in a voice of savage amusement. "Just try it. You'll only meet the same fate as your friend 'Icarus'."

It was hopeless – Gunther-Hagen had made his point. Sure, I had taken on those clones in the hallway, but that was with the help of Iggy, Ari and the strongest members of the pack – without them to back me up, those things would snap me like a twig. And there were always the Erasers.

So I just stood there, helpless and seething as the object of my hatred turned back to Iggy, giving him a heartless smirk.

"Now, don't worry, Igneous – it'll all be over soon."

He raised the gun…

Someone was screaming, and my whole world seemed to shift into overdrive – I felt myself get shoved to the side, and someone streaked past me just as the shot fired, rattling my brain. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling my heart shatter when I thought of Iggy, collapsed to the floor, surrounded in a pool of blood…

"Not this time, Haagen-Dazs."

_Snap_.

My eyes flew open, and I saw a still-standing, apparently unharmed Iggy, and instead Dr. Gunther-Hagen lay on the ground, his neck mangled at a grotesque angle, clearly broken. Standing over him, breathing heavily and glaring at the corpse at her feet, was Max.

* * *

For an immeasurable amount of time, all I could do was stare down fixedly at Gunther-Hagen's unmoving body, glazed eyes looking up at the ceiling they couldn't see, cruel and cold even in death, a hideous smirk still plastered on his face.

Finally, I tore my eyes away from the body and looked at Fang, having so much to say to him at that moment, but couldn't bring myself to form the words. Luckily, he did it for me.

"… He's dead."

Well, Fang never was much for words.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," I said, grinning despite myself. Gosh, I'd missed him, my right-wing man. And then there was Iggy…

"Iggy," I said, whirling around to face my brother, my heart flooding again with the sorrow and regret I'd been lugging around for as long as I'd had my memories back as I looked at my brother's familiar face. His eyes were what struck me the most – open doors to what lay scattered and broken inside. He'd needed me, and all I did was push him away…

"Max," he said, his expression swimming with a tidal wave of mixed emotions. "I… I'm sorry."

That was it.

I flung myself at him, throwing my arms around his neck and holding him as tightly as I could, fearing that he'd vanish if I let go. "Don't ever let me hear you say that again," I told him, tears in my eyes. "Iggy, _I'm_ sorry. I'm so, so sorry for everything I said to you. You mean the world to me. You know I love you, right?"

I could tell Iggy was a little confused by my reaction. "I thought… but, I thought you hated me."

"I could never hate you," I said softly, rubbing his back between the wings the way we all loved. "You're like my brother, Iggy. I'm sorry for ever making you believe otherwise – even if I wasn't in my right mind."

"So, it's true?" I heard Fang say from behind me, and I turned to him, having almost forgotten he was there. "You have your memories back?"

I smiled. "Yup. And now that my side of the deal is done, they're here to stay. So, no more psycho-Max."

"That's a relief," Fang said, grinning.

"Oh, come here, you," I said, pulling him over into a group-hug. Things were really getting mushy around here, but I was so happy to have my brothers back.

Unfortunately, the love-fest couldn't last forever. I heard footsteps, lots of them, coming this way – and fast.

"Time to scoot, guys," I said, grabbing Iggy's hand and pulling him from the room to sprint down the halls. Fang was lagging a bit behind, and when I glanced back, I realized he was carrying a little girl in his arms. Had she been in the room the whole time? I guess my observation skills needed some work.

And then I heard it – the monotone drone of dozens of voices far behind us, all saying the same thing, but I could barely make it out. _"You will not escape."_

"Oh yeah?" I yelled back. "Watch me!" I threw open the fire-escape door to race down the stairs two at a time, silently praying Iggy wouldn't lose his footing and trip up. Thankfully, we made it to the exterior door just as a horde of freaky Iggy-look-alikes entered onto the stairwell. I stuck my tongue out at them for good measure, and as we ran out the door, and I slammed it shut again, locking it with the code I'd seen Ari use.

"Max!" Iggy shouted suddenly, "What kind of lock is that?"

"Uh, the normal kind?" I said skeptically, and he ran his hand over it, a mischievous grin appearing on his face that I knew all too well… "Why? What are you going to do with it?"

"Show this place it doesn't own me anymore," he replied as he ripped the keypad from the wall and removed the back to reveal a jumbled mess of wires and a couple square-ish batteries. He immediately went to work, quickly and skillfully rearranging the wires, tearing some apart, fiddling with the batteries.

I thought, _no way is that thing gonna blow up this building_.

"Max! Are there any cars around here?"

"I'm way ahead of you, man!" Someone yelled, and I spun around to see a giant SUV tearing up gravel as it sped toward us, screeching to a stop just as it was about to crash into the building. Unsurprisingly, Axel hopped out of the driver's seat, grinning wildly. "That was awesome! We should totally get a car!"

Soon Iggy was bent over the open hood of the SUV, attaching wires and whatnot to the car's battery. He finished quickly, slamming the hood closed and turning to us. "Everyone needs to hurry out of here," he said insistently. "I'll stay and start the car, and I should have about fifteen seconds to fly out off range before this whole place goes up."

"Will that be enough time?" I asked anxiously, but I could see the excitement shining in Iggy's eyes.

"I'll be fine, Max. Go!"

So we all skedaddled right out of there, joining the others in the forest under the cover of the thick foliage.

"Where's Iggy?" Amber asked, and we hurriedly explained his plan of sending the lab up in flames.

Ari groaned. "If he dies after we risked our butts to save him, I swear, I'll bring him back to life just so I can kill him again!"

"Relax," Fang said, "Ig's a pro at this."

I sure hoped so, for my sake. I don't think I could take losing him again. Oh, why did I let him do this?

_Boom_.

The sound of the explosion was tremendous, and through the trees I could see a huge pillar of fire light up the night sky momentarily, before it settled on the heap of destruction that was once Dr. Gunther-Hagen's lab. A giant charred, gaping hole had been obliterated through the building where the SUV had once been, which was now reduced to smoking hunks of metal that lay scattered around the area.

_Note to self_, I thought, _never again doubt Iggy's pyromaniac skills_.

But where _was_ Iggy? Had he escaped the blast, or was he lying somewhere back amongst the rubble? In a panic, I called, "Iggy!" _Please answer me, please don't be dead, please, please, please…_

"I see him!" Amber said, and I felt a rush of relief as I looked up to where she pointed. Iggy was flying loops over the island, appearing perfectly content up in the air. I guess when you've been trapped in a cell for days, it's nice to get back in the sky – you know, if you were a mutant bird freak with wings.

"What do you say we join him?" I said with a grin, and Fang and I spread our wings, taking off into the brisk night air. I pulled up beside Iggy and brushed my wing against his, and he turned to smile at me, looking as happy as I'd ever seen him.

"Let's go home, Igs," I said.

And with the pack and co. following closely in their stolen helicopter, me and my two best friends flew out over the ocean, leaving Gunther-Hagen, his lab and all the nightmares that associated with them far behind.

* * *

**My gosh, it's nearly finished – just one more chapter left. I'm so exited. :)**

**I really hope you guys liked it, and that you weren't disappointed in any way by this almost-ending. I tried my best to make it work.**

**By the way, since this is one of my last chances to talk to you all collectively, I just wanted to tell you how awesome you are, for everyone that's reviewed – you have no idea how much it's helped me, and how much I appreciate your time. Thank you, so much. :)**

**AND, I wanted to give you a couple song recommendations that you must listen to – they basically have nothing to do with the story, but they're both so pretty, you have to hear them. "Rain" by Breaking Benjamin and "Running Away" by Midnight Hour (which is not available on iTunes! UGH!).**

**Well, anyway, please review! And flYegurl, I just updated, so you HAVE to! :D**


	52. Epilogue

**Oh my gosh. Last one.**

***sniffles* I can't believe it. I mean, I'm happy to be getting to my original story, but on the other hand, this is excruciatingly painful – I just love Iggy so much, and it's hard to let a character like that go in my writing. Sigh. **

**Well, let's get this show on the road. POVs: Fang, Fang II, Max, Amber, and then Iggy. Oh, I'm having separation anxiety already… :'(**

* * *

_~ Epilogue ~_

* * *

Needless to say, there was quite a tearful reunion when we landed at the old abandoned airport where Jeb, the kids, and that little snot Aaron were camped out. The entire flock was crowded around Iggy and I, the forgotten brothers that had been gone for so long and not missed, up until a few days ago. I think they were the most happy to see Iggy – Angel sat curled up in his lap with her arms around his neck, and it seemed as though Gazzy and Nudge were permanently glued to his side. Iggy didn't seem to mind the invasion of personal space – in fact, he looked so thrilled to see them again, he was practically glowing.

Max sat beside me, and I could tell it was like a tangible weight off her shoulders just to see her flock happy again. For so long we had been living in crisis mode, and the whole world seemed like it would fall apart at any given moment. But now that Gunther-Hagen was dead, his lab destroyed, there was no reason to run, and nothing left to fight. We could just relax, and enjoy being a family again. It was perfect.

When it was finally time to settle down for the night after a long day of hugging, crying, laughing, and just catching up, the flock all snuggled up together on the floor like exhausted puppies. I ended up with Max beside me, and Angel curled into my chest.

"I'll take first watch," Iggy volunteered, and to my surprise, my clone (who remained nameless) decided to go with him.

"What are we going to do with him?" Max whispered when they left to fly up to the roof. "And the kids we rescued from the lab?"

I shrugged slightly, careful not to wake Angel. "Well… I guess we could take the kids someplace that could help them, you know, a children's mental facility or something." Did they have those? I wasn't sure. Maybe Amber could just work her magic on all of them – whatever _that_ meant. I still had no idea how Iggy really got his sanity back so quickly.

"Yeah, I guess," Max said, "but are we really gonna welcome some Fang-look-alike stranger into the flock?"

"He could always stay with the pack," I suggested.

"Aaron already hates the _real_ you," Max reminded me, and through the dark I could see her roll her eyes.

"Aaron's a jerk," I said, hoping that he heard me from the other side of the room. "Forget about him."

* * *

"Wow," I breathed, staring up at the night sky twinkling with tiny bright lights. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen… well, almost the most beautiful. "The sky's amazing," I said, and Iggy gave a small, wistful smile.

"Yeah," he said softly. "I bet."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, my face falling. Stupid! Why did I _say_ that?

"No, it's fine," he assured me, a much more genuine smile lighting up his face. He leaned back on the roof with a content sigh, staring up at nothing.

I really wished then that I could give him his sight back, if only for a moment, so he could see what I saw now. I couldn't imagine what it must be like, living in darkness all the time. It must be pretty lonely.

"What's it like being blind?" I blurted, then instantly wished I could take it back. I probably sounded like an ignorant jerk.

But Iggy's expression just became thoughtful, and he contemplated my question for a minute before answering. "Well… it's just black, all the time – but I'm sure you guessed that already. You rely completely on sounds, and touch. And sure, there are a lot of things I miss, not being able to see them – but I think it's really the people who can see that miss everything."

I was confused. "What do you mean?"

He turned his head to 'look' at me, and I swear, it's like his sightless eyes could see right through me. "People with sight tend to focus on just the things they can see," he said. "Most times they don't notice the little things that my life revolves around. In a lot of ways, my world is more detailed than yours."

I took a moment to digest this – it kind of did make sense. I couldn't help but wonder what Iggy's world was like.

For a while, I just leaned back on the roof and kept my eyes closed. I realized that I did start to notice a few things I hadn't before – like the crickets chirping softly, and the breeze whispering through the tall grass below us. Somewhere in the faraway trees, a bird let out a shrill chirp. Perhaps he was keeping watch while all his friends slept, like us.

I must have fallen asleep like that, because the next thing I knew, Iggy was gently shaking me awake. "Hey," he said, "we should be heading inside. I'll ask Max to take the next watch."

I felt myself blush. "I'm sorry for nodding off like that," I said sheepishly.

"It's no problem," Iggy reassured me. "This is really just a one-person job. But I enjoyed having your company for a while."

"Yeah," I said with a smile. "Me too."

And as I precariously flew down from the building, I thought that in my short life, nothing had ever made me happier than being with Iggy.

* * *

In the days that followed, things were getting more and more tense between Aaron and the rest of us. For example, every time he was forced to speak to one of the flock, especially Fang, Iggy and I, he said it with a contempt sneer – and when he could, he avoided us entirely. He didn't look at us, didn't eat food we'd touched, slept as far away in the building from us as he could. He made it very clear that, to him, we were considered very _un_welcome here.

Things really started to heat up when Iggy tripped over something we'd carelessly left lying around on the floor, and Aaron happened to be right there, so Iggy grabbed his arm to catch himself before he fell. It shouldn't have been a big deal of course, but Aaron completely flipped out.

"Get off of me, you freak!" He spat, ripping his arm out of Iggy's grasp and shoving him away, as though he had some horrible contagious disease.

"What the heck, Aaron?" I said, infuriated by his overreaction and Iggy's hurt expression.

"Just keep that _thing_ away from me," he said, jabbing a finger in Iggy's direction. What, so my brother was a _thing _now?

"You better watch your mouth, Aaron," Fang said in a dangerous tone.

"Yeah, what did he ever do to you?" Amber demanded.

"He _ruined my freaking life!"_ He replied furiously. "Him and his whole stupid family! _They're_ the reason we had to go to sacrifice so much in the first place – what about our house? It's probably crawling with Erasers as we speak. We can never go back!"

He whirled on Iggy again, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and glaring at him coldly with a mixture of hatred and disgust. "It's all _your_ fault! We saved your life, and your stupid flock went and screwed everything up. We have nothing left to go back to now, because of _you!_ If you ask me, we should have just left you in that cave to die, and avoided this whole mess!"

Then, with a furious cry of frustration, he threw a hard punch at Iggy's nose, which I heard break with a _snap_, and immediately began gushing blood.

Before Aaron knew what hit him, Fang had tackled him to the ground. I expected him to start beating the jerk senseless, but he just hissed coldly, "If I ever see you hurt him again, you're gonna get a lot more than a broken nose."

I guess Fang wanted to avoid a total war today, and it was the smart thing to do – but I swear, if it had been _me_, the little creep would've been in a full-body cast.

* * *

Everyone avoided Aaron for the rest of the day. I was infuriated at him for accusing Iggy like that and breaking his nose. Lately it seemed like the brother I used to know had turned into a complete stranger overnight.

I held an old wad of toilet paper from the airport bathroom to Iggy's nose for a good fifteen minutes before the bleeding stopped, and then we set the bones back in their proper place. I'm sure it hurt really bad, but Iggy didn't complain – in fact, he said very little for the rest of the day.

I could tell Iggy was upset about what Aaron had said, and I was resolved to talk to him about it. So as things were winding down for the night, I pulled him outside so we could be alone.

"What's up?" he asked, grasping my hand. It was just a casual gesture, especially since he was blind and needed help getting around, but I felt my heart start to get all fluttery in my chest. _Stupid overactive teenage hormones_…

"Uh, I wanted to ask if everything's okay, you know, with…"

"What Aaron said?" He finished, the despondency and guilt shown plainly in his eyes. "I know what you're going to say, but please don't. He's right. It is my fault."

"No, Iggy," I said, horrified he would even think that. "I never blamed you for anything. What happened just happened – it wasn't your fault, none of it was. Besides, I couldn't imagine life without the flock now… or without you. You mean so much to me, Iggy."

And, before I knew what I was doing, I closed the distance between us and kissed him.

I have no idea where the momentary insanity came from to convince me to do that, but the last thing my brain registered before I slipped away into a daze of senseless happiness was that _he was kissing me back_.

* * *

Weeks went by, and it soon became apparent that we couldn't stay in an abandoned airport building forever. We only had so much food with us, and after scouring the area for any signs of civilization, we came back empty-handed.

I guess it was an unspoken agreement that we would have to go our separate ways. Aaron still felt like being a jerk, and there was the little problem of the lack of wings on anyone in the pack. Sure, I guess we could all move on to a more populated place, but when it was time for Max to go save the world, they couldn't come with us. So, when the day finally came that all the food had run out, we decided it was time to say goodbye to the pack.

Everyone was going to miss them, but I think I had the hardest time letting go. Since that first night I realized Amber had feelings for me too, we had become close; and she made me happier than I'd felt in a long time. We would often take first watch at night and just talk. Ever since she'd nursed me back from crazyville, I'd always loved the sound of her voice. She just made me forget about everything that happened with Gunther-Hagen – when I was around her, it was easy to put those nightmares behind me.

"I'm really going to miss you," I said, as I hugged Amber close. "So much."

"I'll miss you too, Iggy," she said, and I could tell she was close to tears. "You'll have to come back sometime, and visit. Or maybe I'll find you."

"That would be great," I told her, putting on a hopeful smile. Maybe, when the world was saved, we really could live with the pack again.

She stood on her tiptoes and gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek, and then Aaron pulled her away. "Alright, well if you two are done, you really should get going," he said irritably, the usual disgust held in his voice for me.

I guessed that Aaron never would get over his prejudices for the flock and me. Some people were just like that, even the ones that seemed like the best people at first. He was blinded by ignorance to his own faults that he could only see what he thought was wrong with us. There were a lot of people in the world that I'm sure would feel the same way, and I guess I would just have to accept that. But I really wished things could be different - that everyone would just set their judgments aside and play nice. It sounds lame, but I think that if I could convince people to do that, the world would be a better place.

We said goodbye to everyone in the pack (with Aaron sulking off to the side), and when I came to Fang's clone, I pulled him into a hug. "See you later, man," I said, and he returned the gesture tightly.

"Yeah," he replied. "I hope so."

It had been decided that, along with the lab-kids, the clone would be in the hands of Jeb and Ari. They said they were going to take the kids someplace nice where they could get help for their mental issues and trauma, and the clone would just live with them. He and Ari had gotten along surprisingly well together, so everyone seemed happy with the arrangement.

Then I said goodbye to Jeb and Ari (wishing more than anything that I could've seen Ari's face when I gave the massive Eraser a hug), and we were ready to go.

Would you understand me if I said that as we took off into the air, amidst the sadness I felt at saying goodbye to my friends, I also felt a complete sense of... fulfillment? _We did it_, I told myself, as I thought the last couple months' events. Gunther-Hagen was dead, I had beat the odds and escaped. Despite the scars Gunther-Hagen had left, I felt like maybe now I could heal_. I had my life back_.

And then you can guess that we flew off into the horizon and lived happily ever after… well, at least until the next crisis cropped up, and we had to help Max save the world.

After all, I was part of the flock, and that was our life to live in this crazy messed-up world. It was anything but easy, but after everything we've been through together, I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

_THE END._

* * *

**Wow. It's finally over. Hold on for a few minutes while I get over the shock.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Okay, well, I hope you all enjoyed the ending, and the fic in general. Thanks again to everyone for reviewing, and if you haven't yet, I would love for you to do it now. And thanks to all those that favorited and/or alerted this story – I love that you guys appreciate my writing so much.**

**Super-special thanks to FlYegurl, my unofficial Beta and awesome friend. You've been so much help in getting my writing career started, and if I could actually give you a hug now, I would. *gives virtual hug* **

**And yes, even thanks to James Patterson, who wrote the story that got me started on writing. For an old guy that thinks he's a teenager, he's pretty cool.**

**Love you guys, and thanks so much for reading! I'll let you know when my original novel gets published. ;) You'll probably find it in a lonely corner of Wal-mart, but still.**


	53. AN: Rewrite

**IMPORTANT: On account of this thing being so embarrassing and downright cringe-worthy to me now (a year and a half later), I'm taking the liberty of rewriting it, under the name "On New Wings". There will be NO OC's, no self-harm, more realistic plot and characterization, and will be much shorter - probably about 10-20 chapters. The first chapter has been posted (as of September 15, 2012), so if you're interested, feel free to check it out.**


End file.
